To The Beginning
by KitsuneMiyuKendraHyuga
Summary: AU Arturia Pendragon would do anything for the sake of her family. When a time of emergency comes and she desperately needs money to pay for her dying sister's medical expenses, she doesn't hesitate - even if it means tossing her pride aside and accepting the proposal from rich and arrogant Gilgamesh Uruk…
1. Impetuosity

**A/N** : hello :) as usual, a few warnings before you begin to read.

First of all, this fic is set in an alternate universe; it's more or less a contemporary world, around the 90s, even though some technologically more advanced elements from the early 2000s, like mobile phones and Skype, will be mentioned. Therefore, there will purposefully be things expressed in a somewhat old-fashioned way, especially regarding marriage and family.

This story is inspired by That Dastard Cerberus's wonderful fic "All or Nothing". There will be several similarities to it; she is an awesomely kind person and gave me permission to write this fic anyway, and I can't thank her enough for that! I highly recommend you check out her wonderful works ;)

Contrary to my previous fics, this story will be updated irregularly. However, the plot is fairly linear and quite predictable, and since it's a slice-of-life, slow-burn kind of fic, there shouldn't be any major cliff-hangers. Many FSN characters are going to appear, but probably not the way you expect them to ;P

A warning: while the rating of this story begins by being T (and most of it _is_ T), it's going to be M for some parts. I will specify for which chapters that rating is actually needed, so you will be able to skip them if you want. Another warning: there will be mentions of depression, hospitals and difficult medical conditions to deal with.

Many thanks go to HiddenCamellia for her kindness and patience in listening to all my ramblings about this story and encouraging me to write it :)

 **Image credit** : beautiful drawing by Christy (christinethethunnus on tumblr) :D

I sincerely hope you like reading this story, and please enjoy :)))))

Very special thanks go to the kind and amazing Jolanikati, for the patient and thoughtful beta work! :D

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It was a sunny spring day, flowers blooming everywhere and chatter of others forming a calming background noise. Such a peaceful atmosphere almost promised for a lovely afternoon.

Suddenly, the harsh sound of a slap echoed in the courtyard.

Arturia Pendragon, student in her last year of college, had just slapped Gilgamesh Uruk, high-class businessman and richest man in the country.

And she had done so in the middle of a shopping mall in New York. In front of everyone, in a public place where _everyone_ could see them – and everyone _had_ seen them.

It had been quite the good slap, too.

Level-headed Arturia would never have done such a thing–… well, had he not provoked her.

And it really _had_ started out as _such_ a nice day…

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It wasn't a normal and boring day, but in fact quite a splendid one.

Arturia didn't have work, and she was on campus – of course – to study. It was her last trimester before graduation, and even if she did not have any more lessons to follow, she had to write her thesis. To be fair, all she had to do was _finish_ writing her thesis, since she was luckily quite ahead with her work.

That meant that she had to continue working on it diligently until she completed it. That meant that she had to study. _A lot._

However, that had apparently not concerned the oblivious man, Iskandar. He had decided that, on that very specific day, the group of people he insisted upon calling 'friends' would go with him around a new, large shopping mall.

And, since in that group of 'friends' there was her boss as well, Arturia had had no choice but to go as well.

At the very least, she could tolerate some of the people in the group. Enkidu, for example, while scarily energetic, was nice, open and friendly with everyone. He was a good person, even though his sense of mischief was something to be wary of. She would probably never understand how he could be Gilgamesh's best friend.

Then there were a few other work associates of Gilgamesh and Enkidu's aside from Iskandar, and then a couple of her own friends from university. All considered, the day out wasn't going to be a complete waste of time.

The fact that she was sacrificing an entire day of studying was _nothing_ compared to what happened next, though.

Because nothing could have prepared her for what her boss would say to her.

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It was the right moment, Gilgamesh decided. She was going to need to be told eventually, and it might as well be right then.

She was wearing one of her usual outfits: prim, proper and normal. Nothing showy, nothing extravagant, nothing expensive, just a quietly elegant look. It suited her, he thought, but it was an extremely fleeting thought. The matter he had to deal with was much more important, _and bothersome_ , he added mentally.

He got her attention by grabbing her wrist, staring at her intently as he made her turn towards him.

All the others from their group were scattered around in the shopping mall's various stores, and there wasn't exactly a copious amount of attention directed at them.

Arturia's expression, even though quite guarded – since she was around the man who had decision-making power over her job – still betrayed her confusion.

"Gilgamesh? What…?"

Inwardly smirking, he kept his face expressionless. She had no idea what honour he was about to bestow on her.

"Arturia. I have an important matter to address."

Even though her expression did not give away what she was thinking, Arturia privately considered that he could very well let go of her arm. And, to her surprise – as if he guessed what had just gone through her mind – he released her wrist.

Those blood red eyes she had become familiar with during the past months of working at his company remained firmly glued to her face.

When he spoke, every word came out as haughty and unwavering as his personality was.

"You satisfy most of the requirements I have for what I seek in a wife. You are by no means perfect for the role, but you do have sufficient qualities." His tone became commanding, and it was clear that he was completely serious in his following words. " _Become my wife_."

There was silence.

On Gilgamesh's side, it was an impatient one: she just had to accept and they could get this annoying problem out of the way.

On Arturia's part, it was a stunned and disbelieving silence. The conviction that was making its way into her mind was that she had to be in the midst of a very weird dream.

There was _no way_ Gilgamesh Uruk had just walked up to her to address her with the most arrogant and self-centred speech she had ever heard him speak – and that was saying a lot – that happened to be a _proposal_ as well.

As far as she could see, he was being perfectly serious. Arturia felt incredulity and disgust, in equal measures, fill her completely, pushing out any other thought.

She blinked, several times. Upon realizing that she was indeed awake and that the more than surreal speech had happened for _real_ , she reacted the only instinctual way a sane human being would have in her situation.

Before she could even think about controlling herself, she took an abrupt step forward and her right hand acted on its own.

She hit the man in front of her with all her strength, straight in the face, inadvertently making the loud, dry sound resonate.

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The deafening silence that had previously been only between the two of them seemed to have suddenly stretched around the place.

People around them were staring, people neither of them knew, yet they still stared, in a shocked muteness.

And that was without counting their group; those who were there were jaw-slacked, openly gawking at what had just transpired in front of their eyes. Even Enkidu was stunned; for once, the impossibly cheerful and chatty man was silent, without words, gaping at the scene.

But Arturia didn't care. In that moment she did not care about any of them. Nor did she care about the fact that she had just slapped the most powerful man in the country – if not in the world – in a public place. Nor about the fact that it was also very likely that she had just lost her job with that action.

She did not care about _any_ of those things.

All she cared about was the man still standing in front of her, whose expression was a mix of shock, anger, incredulity and – quite uncharacteristically – confusion.

 _How_ dare _he insult her in such a way._ Who did he even _think_ he was?

Her voice was low, but most people there could hear her anyway.

"You are the most arrogant man I've ever come across, Gilgamesh Uruk."

With that, she turned on her heels and walked away.

No one dared follow her.

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Arturia marched towards her apartment, furious.

In her state of mind, she did not want to go to campus any longer, as she wouldn't have been able to concentrate on her studies anyway. Besides, her sister was waiting for her at home.

A calming smile appeared on her lips at the thought, momentarily forgetting her anger towards Gilgamesh. Iri was feeling much better those days, and she had even gotten up from bed a couple of times during the previous week. The blonde woman looked forward to spending some time with her sister and her nephew, little Shirou.

Yes, it was much better to think about her family than about that vexatious boss of hers.

Perhaps, probably, _certainly_ , she was going to be fired… well, after all, who cared.

He was a _jerk_.

The more she thought about what had occurred, the more it all seemed absurd. And yet, it _had_ happened.

How _dare_ he. Arrogant and selfish, he had come up to her to ask her–

No, he had not even _asked_ , he had _demanded_. Ordered. _Stated_ , as if it was some kind of _fact_. As if he controlled her.

He was one of the richest people on the planet, owner and runner of the greatest business in existence, and he was still in his twenties; because of that, he was at the centre of a considerable amount of media attention, being one of the 'most eligible bachelors'.

That more or less explained his actions from earlier in the day.

He obviously did not want a wife. Or, at least, not really – not in the strictest sense of the word. She had been on enough of those evenings out in their little group's company to know as much. Most likely, he wanted someone he could present and feed to the press, to get them off his back.

He wanted to make his position more solid by appearing as a 'family man', a 'married man', who settled down and cared about someone. He wanted a wife to make sure people thought he cared about family and those that were considered the social values.

So, Arturia cynically thought, since he didn't have a heart, he wanted to make it _look like_ he had one?

Simply disgusting.

That tall, arrogant, _jerk of a man_ … and he was her boss too!

Well, not really her boss, since after all, it was just a part-time job – _a part-time job she desperately needed_ – but seriously! Did he even have a brain? _Did he?_

Closing her green eyes briefly, she took a deep breath. She could not let her emotions control her. She had to remain calm and analyze the situation rationally.

And her rational conclusion was that Gilgamesh had certainly more than enough reasons in his life to be a conceited jerk, but that did _not_ mean that he couldn't behave like. A. Decent. Human. Being.

After those unforgivably arrogant words from him, she had acted on impulse, but she did not regret what she had done.

She did not regret slapping the most powerful man in the country, because that imbecile had most certainly deserved it.

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As she neared the apartment, Arturia dismissed all and every thought about Gilgamesh. She was going to spend the evening with her beloved family, and nothing else mattered.

Even though…

As she was nearing the place and looking at the dark windows from afar, it was quite odd to see that the lights were all off at that time in the afternoon.

Arturia frowned. Something was not right.

In that moment, her old mobile phone rang.

Stifling the sudden feeling of uneasiness that was threatening to invade her, Arturia answered. It was a call from an unknown number.

"Hello?"

"Is this Arturia Pendragon?"

The voice seemed quite calm and professional, but Arturia could not stop her apprehension from increasing.

"Yes, this is she. Who is this?"

"Ms. Pendragon, this is Central Hospital."

The apprehension turned into horrified dread.

"We are calling to inform you that your relative, Irisviel von Einzbern, has been admitted into the Emergency Room following a sudden worsening of her already unstable conditions. Her son, Shirou Emiya, is with her as well, and is quite distraught, so we need you or another close relative to come here immediately."

Arturia could not speak, at least not right away. She tried to swallow, but her throat was utterly dry. Her mind had gone completely blank.

"Ms. Pendragon?"

She attempted to swallow, and the second time, she succeeded.

"Yes, I… of course. We… have no other close relatives. I will be there as soon as I can."

"Thank you, Ms. Pendragon. Ms. von Einzbern is in…"

Instructions on where to find Iri followed, and Arturia mechanically memorized them before hanging up and abruptly turning around to start to quickly walk towards the hospital.

In a rare case of luck, it happened to be not too far from there. She would have probably reached it faster with a bus, but she didn't have the money for it, and she wouldn't have had the patience to walk back to the stop and wait for the right one anyway.

Struck with a thought, she halted in her steps, only to resume her running immediately. In her panic, she had forgotten to ask what her sister's conditions actually were…

As she hurried towards the building, her eyes glued to the neon signs indicating its location, she felt her heart pounding in her ears.

 _Iri…_

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	2. Apprehension

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 _That woman_.

With as much dignity as possible, Gilgamesh strode out of the shopping mall.

Well, with as much dignity as he _could have_ after being publicly slapped. And rejected no less, though luckily the proposal had not been heard by anyone else.

How. _Dare._ She.

After he had graced her with his attentions and had even asked to marry her!

Not only had she refused him – which was intolerable as it was – she had also physically struck him in such a degrading way. A _slap_. In _public._

No one had ever _dared_ do something like that.

So that left the question, why had he not punished her yet? Why had he not made sure that she suffered the consequences for her actions?

He loathed admitting it – but what she had done had been too unforeseen for him to react appropriately.

He did not care that it was probably going to be on every newspaper by morning, since the press could be dealt with later on. The worst part about this specific situation was that he would have to be at the Central College the following morning.

 _Her_ college.

At the very least, he could be pleased by the fact that it had already been arranged for Enkidu to be present as well.

Speaking of his friend, for once Enkidu's bubbly personality had been quieted. He had not said a single word, to him or anyone else, and Gilgamesh did not bother asking why, for he knew the reason.

It did not happen often that Gilgamesh Uruk was humiliated, in public or in private. Or rather, it did not happen, period. In private, his best friend could tease him, yes, but he was an exception. No one else had the right to do anything, and no one had ever _dared_ do anything.

Hmm. That wasn't quite true. There was a person who had dared talk back to him.

That woman. _She_ had.

After all, wasn't that one of the reasons for which he had deemed her worthy enough of becoming his wife?

Yes. Arturia Pendragon. A part-time employee he had hired some time before. While always remaining respectful and polite in her tone, she had disagreed with him in the past, and she had always made quite interesting points in her arguments.

It certainly spoke of presumption, but against his better judgement, Gilgamesh had actually been intrigued by the fact that she stared straight into his eyes when speaking to him and never let herself be intimidated.

Brave. That, she certainly was.

After all, she had proved her bravery at their very first meeting, hadn't she?

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GILGAMESH (past)

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 _Six months before_

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She was a short, small girl; she seemed to be attractive enough. Her appearance was quite young, though he noted that her eyes looked much older.

Gilgamesh observed her from a distance for several minutes before he found himself frowning.

He usually went through the CVs of all the applicants – albeit briefly – before their interview, but he did not remember this particular blonde woman, especially not one with such a strange lock of hair standing out on her head. And those eyes… he was certain he would have remembered those eyes. The colour was quite unique, a deep emerald, and the look in them–… He was, unfortunately enough, too far away to analyze it properly.

However, he had the distinct impression that he had seen her at least once before.

Perhaps–… yes. Yes, that was it. He was certain of it now: she had been one of the interns during the summer.

His eyes narrowed in a manner that was imperceptible to anyone around him. If she had done an internship, it meant that she was still in school. Then why was she doing a job interview?

Turning his head slightly inside the small dark room, he addressed one of his employees – the director of the local offices – who was overseeing that day's interviews with him.

His gaze did not leave the woman, who was on the other side of the glass, as he said sharply, "I had requested to be informed about _all_ the applicants."

The man standing on his side gulped, even more wary than he already was, since his boss was speaking to him.

"This… this girl is still in college. We– we did not truly take her into consideration–"

"But here she is, doing the job interview," Gilgamesh coldly interrupted him.

The man's nervousness increased. "She requested it. Insisted, in fact…"

Gilgamesh narrowed his eyes, this time visibly, as he took his gaze away from the woman to stare at the employee beside him. He had not hired that particular employee; it was one of the leftovers from the former corrupted council, and he could see why. Not only had this man not followed his precise instructions, he had let himself be bullied by a _college student_ who wanted a job.

Gilgamesh stared the man down, thinking rapidly. It was the 23rd of the month. Well then.

His tone was cold and firm as he spoke, his eyes narrowing even more dangerously, "Be aware that the last day of this month will also be the last day you are employed in this company."

The man's eyes became large, completely astonished.

"But sir…! You can't–…!" He realized what he had said when Gilgamesh's eyebrows rose just a little, and hurried to correct his grave mistake. "I meant… only that… after years of faithful service…"

Gilgamesh was completely unimpressed.

"I will not waste any words about the _faithfulness_ of your service – but since you mentioned such a thing, it should mean that you are more than qualified to find another position. Nevertheless, it will not be in this company. You have proven to be incapable of complying with easy and precise requests of mine, and you have let that _girl_ give you orders."

He looked at the man with contempt. "You are not fit for covering the position of head of this office. This was the third different location you received in my company. You failed the other two as well." The man did not dare say a word. "On the last day of the month, come by my office at eight in the morning to settle the matter of the cleanout. That will be all – you are heartily invited to make yourself scarce today."

The blond man took a few steps towards the glass, observing the room where the woman was still being questioned. He then turned around and looked at the vice director, since the _former_ director had been smart enough to leave the room immediately.

"I'm not going to overlook this blatant disobedience to the directives I gave. I had specifically ordered to be consulted for _every_ job interview – now I have no choice but to take part in this one myself."

The vice director seemed confused; he was obviously wondering about the reason Gilgamesh was not kicking the woman out immediately. However, he understandably did not dare question him, and that was for the best. Those crimson eyes gave him a last, stern look before exiting the room.

Gilgamesh, the CEO of Uruk Enterprises, was very strict with the people he hired and employed. He made sure they knew that each and every one of them was replaceable, and yet demanded nothing less than perfect work from them; however, at the same time, he was fair in that sense, because he then generously rewarded them accordingly. Aside from that, he was also adamant about hiring only the best for his companies – but the best in terms of _capabilities_ , not of school of attendance, grades, political position or nepotism.

The blonde woman in the room in front of him was a college student; she was certainly aware of the prestige of his company – after all, who wasn't – yet she had insisted upon being interviewed anyway. That meant that she was either incredibly foolish – and if that was the case, he would humiliate her as she deserved – or incredibly capable.

He had every intention of finding that out.

"Call the interviewer out."

He was going to lead the interview himself. He would judge this woman's character and her competence – or lack thereof.

And, since he had the opportunity, he was going to find out what kind of emotions those eyes of hers were able to express, too.

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He ended up hiring Arturia Pendragon as a part-timer. He had seen that she was in fact capable and, somewhat reluctantly, had acknowledged to himself that she was worthy of having an opportunity in his company.

He had also ascertained that her eyes were quite striking.

That did not mean that he would be making things easy for her. She had, after all, bullied one of his employees into letting her take the job interview. It was true that it was one of the lowliest of his personnel – actually, former personnel – but that alone was not enough to overlook the offence.

During her first few weeks of work, he watched her like a hawk – albeit, a very handsome hawk – ready to use the slightest excuse to criticize and even threaten to fire her. But, to his initial surprise and then hidden amusement, she went through that trial period quite admirably. While she wasn't flawless, something he could see was largely due to her lack of experience, he was unable to find any real fault in the work she did.

Through his observation, he noticed that she seemed very motivated. He knew little about her family and her personal life, so he did not know the specific reason for her dedication to that job… and, in all honesty, he did not care.

It was beneath him, anyway.

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However, as months passed, Gilgamesh could no longer spend time focused on that sharp little employee of his, because the pressure from society and media was starting to become a troublesome nuisance.

Only because he was just past his mid-twenties, society had presented him with a completely senseless and almost surreal requirement.

He was very conscious of the fact that – sadly – idiocy was a distasteful yet prominent feature found in abundancy among people, but such a request was simply beyond preposterous.

Enough was enough. They had had foolish demands in the past, too, but this particular one crossed the line.

They wanted him to get married.

It was not said explicitly – they would never _dare_ do such a thing – but they had been hinting at the fact that at his age, it was expected of him to 'settle down', to give the idea of someone who had a solid private life.

It was not just coming from the unknown, inferior people, either; even Iskandar – _Iskandar_ , of all people! – had told him the same.

Gilgamesh found it simply ridiculous. He was not interested in getting a wife.

His work was the most important thing; anything else was just a distraction. His business was successful, but it needed monitoring to be _kept_ successful. He had created an empire, but empires – as unlikely as it sounded for his case – could fall, unless one did a constant job to keep them stable and working. And expanding, too.

That meant effort. That meant _time_.

Anything else different from that was completely irrelevant, and to be frank, quite beneath him as well. He gave his time and his dedication to those who deserved it, and a potential wife was most certainly _not_ on that very short list.

What was being suggested infuriated him, as none of the people that composed society was anywhere close to his level. None of them was worthy of judging his life or even just _attempting_ to do such a thing.

Nevertheless, he lived in the same society as those mongrels.

It was not like he had no choice, nor would it be vital for the good of his business; he was too superior, too successful to ever be forced to give in to anyone's demands.

But it seemed that, in this matter at least, Iskandar was right.

In a world of deceit and first-class appearances under the public eye, the personal image _did_ have some importance. Not his looks – he _knew_ he always presented himself impeccably in that department without any true effort – but the status of his private life was a different matter.

Still being a bachelor, especially such a rich one, was for some reason frowned upon.

But Gilgamesh was too clever to not see that having a wife would both relieve him of an irritating pressure and elevate his social position, while the announcement of a marriage would give a boost to his already famous name. As foolish as he may think it to be, people in his position who valued family were held in a socially higher regard. He couldn't care less about what people thought, but it would indeed be favourable for his business, and about that he _did_ care.

It was definitely not something he _needed_ , but it _would_ reap several benefits.

Once he had reached that conclusion – and it took, admittedly, quite some time – the other, much more important matter was to find a suitable candidate.

It was true that at those 'social gatherings' – Enkidu preferred 'viper's cradles', and Gilgamesh silently agreed – countless women had been keen on throwing themselves at him. Of course, his ruthless reputation preceded him, and none of them had had the nerve to literally 'jump' at him. Yet.

But he had the unpleasant sensation that they would soon become desperate and overcome their fear of him in hopes of getting his attention through any possible means.

None of those lowly beings were worthy of his time, that was more than obvious – but they could soon become a problem.

The best way to solve both the problem of the social condemnation of his bachelorhood and the shameless horde of husband-seekers was to, well, get married. It was best if he just got himself a wife, so that all the others who thought they had a chance would finally back off.

In theory, it was decided easily: he needed a spouse. Which meant, a woman who was not too boring and he could tolerate having around.

He recalled having mentioned in one of the very few interviews that he had participated in (Enkidu had forced him) that he would have preferred his 'ideal woman' to have a degree in the field of business or economics. He also wanted her to speak fluently in both English and Japanese, since his company had its two main venues in America and Japan.

Not only would the person he chose have to meet those standards, but also – and more importantly – not disgrace his image as the Golden Businessman.

He needed to find a wife, a suitable one. And _soon_.

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MAIN (present)

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Following the instructions she had received on the phone, Arturia found the wing in which her sister had been hospitalized. Standing in front of the door of the hospital room was her crying nephew, who had two nurses attempting to console him as he tugged at their sleeves trying to say something to them, quite obviously frightened.

It was rare, incredibly rare, to see Shirou upset. He was a quiet but always happy child, and witnessing his tears tugged at something inside Arturia. She stalled for a second in her motions, but then sprinted forward anew.

"Shirou–…!" she called breathlessly.

The little redhead immediately looked up at her, and his tearful smile was like a ray of hope for Arturia's anguished mind.

"Auntie Ria! Auntie Ria…! They won't let me see mommy! Please, let me be with mommy–!"

Arturia had composed her face enough to come closer without losing her mask of calmness. She absolutely _had_ to be strong for her nephew. He was only five years old and his mother was ill; even she herself did not know what was wrong with Iri yet.

She wished she could take a deep breath, but she couldn't. Not in front of Shirou. So she simply extended her arms without a word, and the boy ran into her embrace without hesitation as she was more than happy to hug him tightly back.

"Shirou, it's all right. I'm here with you, and now we will see what we can find out about mommy," she whispered softly in an attempt to comfort him.

The boy sniffled and chose not to reply, leaving Arturia's eyes to land on the two nurses, who seemed relieved to see her there. She recognized one of them – she had been the one to tend to Iri the last time she had been hospitalized – and the elderly woman smiled at her.

"It's good to see you here, calm and collected as usual," she said encouragingly.

 _On the outside only_ , Arturia thought wryly, but the kind woman didn't need to know that. She probably didn't need to be told, either; she doubted she was particularly good at hiding her inner turmoil while holding her crying nephew.

"How is my sister?" Arturia asked, knowing that the nurses would know whose patient she was talking about.

Both of them, however, avoided her gaze, and she had to struggle with herself to not tighten her hold on Shirou instinctively. That was not a good sign.

The elderly nurse tried to smile, but it was quite a strained smile. A very tentative one.

"The doctors will be able to tell soon."

That meant that the medics were still inside the room with Iri, and that also meant that she was not going to be allowed inside either, since it could take hours.

She spotted a few chairs a little ways down the corridor, and moved to go sit down, placing Shirou in her lap. Never letting go, she cradled him to her for a while, before looking him in the eye.

"I know this is hard for you but, Shirou, could you please tell me what happened?"

The boy sniffled and nodded immediately. He was young, but he wasn't stupid, and he trusted his aunt. He had never refused to answer her questions, and he felt much safer now that she was there with him.

"Mommy… mommy was all right after lunch, at home with me, and helped me learn the names of the rivers. Then she made tea… and she collapsed suddenly, in the middle of the room. I called her, called her, but she wasn't answering… so I did as you said and called the emergency number you wrote next to the phone." His eyes swelled with tears as he looked at his aunt. "I wanted to call you first, but you said to call the emergency, and mommy wasn't waking and I did-didn't know and–"

Arturia pulled him to her again, letting him burst into tears and holding him comfortingly.

"You did the right thing, Shirou. It's only thanks to you that mommy could get help immediately." She gave him a soft caress on the head. "You really did the right thing."

The boy's little hands fisted in her shirt and he held her tightly.

"But… but… if it's not enough? Mommy wasn't moving and maybe…"

"Shirou." Her voice held strength and calmness, which she knew she didn't truly possess in that moment. "We don't know what happened to mommy yet. But know that you did the right thing in calling the emergency number without delay." Pulling him closer, feeling his forehead and detecting a hint of fever, Arturia murmured, "Try to get some sleep. We don't know how long we will have to wait."

The boy sat up straighter in an instant, stubbornly shaking his head.

"No! I'm _not_ sleeping! I want to be awake for mommy!"

Arturia looked at him, her expression the most serious she ever got with him.

"Mommy will not be happy to see you tired. You should sleep, so you'll later be awake for her."

Shirou stared at her, some stubbornness still lingering in his eyes, but his aunt's look was firm, and he slowly relented. But his hands, still balled into fists, did not leave the woman's clothes.

Sensing his apprehension, Arturia pulled him to her again, making his head rest on her shoulder. "I'm not leaving, Shirou. I'll stay close."

Fresh tears spilled from his golden eyes, and they seeped into her shirt, polka dotting the fabric, but she didn't pay them any heed.

"I just want to be with mommy…" Shirou murmured those last words before slowly drifting off into slumber.

The blonde woman kept her sleeping nephew close to her and remained rigid in her seat for hours, none of her troubled thoughts leaving her mind for even an instant.

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	3. Dread

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ARTURIA (past)

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 _Six months before_

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Arturia would never have thought that her interview at Uruk Enterprises would end the way it did.

She had gone there because she absolutely _had_ to try to apply for a job: Kiritsugu was ill, and Iri had been forced to give up her job to stay with him at the hospital, not just to look after him and their son, but also because her own health was quite poor too.

When she had been doing her internship during the summer, Arturia had naturally looked into the company a little, but she had done a more thorough research before applying for a job. She had asked some of her teachers at college too, and through her rather precise inquiries, she had soon found out that once a CV was submitted to them, it was carefully reviewed and all applicants were discreetly investigated.

Even though that made her cautious – the green-eyed woman did not intend to have her personal life under the scrutiny of complete strangers after all – after discussing it with her family, she had decided to apply anyway.

The man who received her – she assumed he was the director of the local offices – did not seem very enthusiastic to see her, and he was even less so when hearing that she was still in college. However, she did not let herself be discouraged and graciously but firmly insisted upon being interviewed. She was both relieved and a bit surprised when the man gave in, strangely avoiding her gaze as if he was intimidated.

Another person led her then to a room with a large mirror on one side of it, and started asking her the usual questions, confirming the information they had ("Arturia Pendragon, age twenty-two, senior year of college, correct?"), and she replied with what she considered sufficient composure and politeness.

However, before the serious part of the interview could begin, the one who was interviewing her was called out of the room without an explanation. A few minutes later, someone else replaced him and took the seat in front of her.

This blond man was different from the other two she had seen at Uruk Enterprises so far. He had a definite air of confidence about him–… or rather, it was pure _arrogance_ radiating off him in _waves_.

He was more than likely to hold a higher position than the other two. Maybe he was the head director? Or maybe he was simply an arrogant man that held no significant importance inside the company.

However, such a thing was implausible; after all, he had not been asked to come speak with her, _he had demanded_ to take the other man's place, and that one had obeyed without question, as she had overheard from inside the room.

But then again, why would the _boss_ – if he was indeed the boss – want to speak with her in person?

Since the man chose however not to introduce himself, none of her mental speculations was likely to find a satisfying answer.

While he was flipping through her CV briefly, she took her time in examining him.

He was tall, lean, and incredibly handsome; his hair was blond and spiky, and his eyes crimson like her sister's. As he put down the manila folder, she stared into those strange orbs, careful not to let her guard down but unable to suppress her curiosity.

Her sister's eyes were a warm, loving, _caring_ dark red; this man's were a haughty, arrogant, almost malicious _blood_ red.

He seemed amused by the fact that she was looking at him without fear. He still did not introduce himself, choosing to simply stare back at her intently before beginning the real part of the interview.

The questions were no longer the generic ones from earlier; they were instead very specific, precise and put forth in quite the complex way. The man was knowledgeable, that was no doubt, and Arturia warily answered each and every question that was fired at her, because he didn't seem to have any intention to stop any time soon; but she made sure that, while never being overconfident, she stood her ground with every word she pronounced.

She was not going to be intimidated: she needed this job, and she wanted to do all she could to obtain it.

She dreaded the moment in which he would confront her with any personal information the company might have gathered on her, but to her mild surprise and deep relief, it did not happen. He tested her knowledge and her capabilities with implacable accuracy, but did not ask any questions about what she wanted to keep private – namely, her family.

When he seemed to be finished, the green-eyed woman could quietly draw her conclusions. She was not vain, but she was realistic enough. While the man was certainly not happy with her lack of experience, she knew that he was decidedly impressed by her competence. There was hope yet.

He remained silent for a while, tapping the side of the table with one hand, the other resting below his chin as he thought for a moment before deciding to finally speak again – and the words he said were those he used to finally introduce himself.

It took Arturia all her self-control to not drop her mouth open in speechless shock and maintain what was left of her composure.

The man who had interviewed her was _Gilgamesh Uruk_. The CEO of all of Uruk Enterprises, and of whom she had only heard of on the news due to the rarity of his public appearances.

No wonder she had thought he seemed to be so extremely arrogant.

With a sinking feeling in her chest, she realized how slim her chances of being hired were. His reputation preceded him: he was a ruthless person. It was very likely that he had simply humoured her with that interview and amused himself by giving her a false sense of hope.

Still, she would not accept defeat so easily. Not until she was certain that there was no chance at all.

But as it turned out, instead of having to hide her feelings of sadness and disappointment – since she readily expected a rejection about the job position – she had to suppress the itch in her fingers to strangle the man in front of her.

He told her, a lazy smirk on his lips, that he knew that she had been an intern there, and her status of a college student did not allow her to have a full-time job. However, he arrogantly added, she had to consider herself lucky, as he agreed to give her a trial period as a part-timer. She was going to be under constant scrutiny for the first few weeks, and at the slightest mistake, she would be out. But he would magnanimously give her the chance to prove herself.

She felt her anger boil. He had not acknowledged her competence; the conceited man had only stressed his own generosity at allowing her to work there. And while she was indeed grateful because of that, he was making sure she _knew_ that she had to thank _him_. As if she actually needed a reminder.

But that was not the worst part of it. What was truly intolerable was the fact that he seemed to _enjoy_ the fury she knew her eyes contained, because he was perfectly conscious of the fact that she could not give any kind of biting reply, as she so clearly wished to do.

The interview done, he dismissively told her to enquire at the entrance desk for the information she needed about the job, and then he stood up without another word, taking his leave with nothing more than a curt – and haughty – nod.

As soon as he turned around, she directed her most poisonous glare towards him. She fervently hoped she would never see him again, or at the very least, see of him as little as possible.

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But of course, it was a naïve hope.

Not only did she see him again _frequently_ , he also made sure she was fully aware of his presence. During the first week, he observed her keenly, and her every action was under tight surveillance. It was as if she was in a heavily secured prison, guarded by watchdogs, instead of working a simple part-time job.

And, not to forget, she had a boss who did all he could to make her life more difficult than it already was.

Luckily for her, she had had the time to go home to her family, calm down after the interview and collect her thoughts. When she went to face the first day of work, she had expected such a behaviour from him, and that, added to the worsening of her brother-in-law's conditions, only further emphasized how important it was for her to keep that precarious job position.

She would not let _anything_ stop her from doing all she could – her anger and frustration towards Gilgamesh Uruk least of all – for she refused to lose this opportunity.

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MAIN (present)

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When nurses came to her to offer her something to eat or drink, Arturia politely refused, but she did take a bottle of water for Shirou and a snack or two for the boy, for when he woke up. Her own stomach, however, was closed, and she couldn't even think about eating anything.

She had very few elements to try to understand what had happened to Iri. Her sister had always been of a sickly constitution and she had been hospitalized more than once, especially in the past few months, but she had never suddenly collapsed like that, therefore it was impossible to guess the reason for it.

Hours passed with maddening slowness. It seemed impossible to her that she had been there for only an hour… two… three…

There was a clock in the corridor, and Arturia's eyes were drawn to it, far too often. She could not believe that the clock hands were moving so slowly… and what time had it been when she had arrived at the hospital? How long had she already been there?

Not that it was something important to know, but to pass the time, she might as well ponder over it.

She tried to concentrate. Where had she been earlier that day? Oh, that was right, she had meant to study, but she had been forced to go the new shopping mall, where–

Oh. She had probably lost her job. Well, to be fair, she was going to find that out two days later, when she was supposed to have half a day's work.

Ah, she didn't care at the moment. Her sister was her priority.

Back to that day's events. If she recalled correctly, she had left the shopping centre in the afternoon. Therefore, it had to be evening.

She distractedly noticed that it was in fact getting dark outside. Hours had already passed by…

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As she was staring at the clock once again, the door to her sister's room finally opened and several people streamed out of it. Her muscles were asleep after remaining in the same sitting position for hours, making Arturia unable to stand up right away. Her nephew's weight, she realized dimly, probably played a part in that too.

She rapidly scrutinized the faces of the doctors, both males and females, who were leaving the room, but she couldn't make out much. When the last medic came out, a woman with a long black braid, Arturia immediately recognized the doctor as the head medic of the hospital.

She felt her heart sinking. If the head of the hospital herself was there, did that mean that her sister…? That she…?

The middle-aged woman nodded in her direction and indicated for her to come in. With some difficulty, Arturia stood, carrying her nephew inside the room.

Upon entering, the blonde woman saw her sister lying on the bed, several devices attached to different parts of her body and an oxygen mask covering her face. She was breathing slowly and – Arturia noticed with alarm – very faintly.

The blonde woman frowned. Iri's breath was strange; she seemed to be asleep, but her breathing was too artificially regular for that…

The doctor directed Arturia to a small bed in one corner of the room, where she helped her settle little Shirou, carefully making sure he did not wake up. Then the black-haired woman indicated Irisviel.

"You are Irisviel von Einzbern's younger sister, am I correct?"

Arturia nodded briefly, avid to know more, but since she knew that those questions were official formalities that could not be overlooked, she had to state things clearly.

"Half-sister. We share the same mother. I am Arturia Pendragon."

The doctor did not comment, and simply nodded. "Your parents? Irisviel's husband?"

"They are dead. We have no other relatives except for a cousin on my side of the family, and he lives abroad." Indicating Shirou, Arturia continued, "Shirou is Irisviel's son. Please, can you tell me about my sister's conditions?"

She was aware of how desperate she sounded, but she was past caring after those long hours of waiting.

The doctor nodded again, her manners delicate and calming. She took out a chair seemingly out of nowhere, and invited Arturia to sit down.

"Please take a seat, Ms. Pendragon. This will not be easy for you."

Arturia did not utter a syllable as she took her place. There was no point in arguing about sitting down or standing.

The doctor looked at her keenly.

"As you can see, your sister is in a coma."

Arturia remained stiff in her seat.

The doctor continued, "She has a rare disease. It has apparently been dormant inside her for years, only manifesting through smaller illnesses, frailty, and general weakness of the body. But now, it's fully spread, and it's depleting her body of its nutrients at an alarming speed. The only way for her body to fight it is to remain resting as long as possible, and this has induced the coma. However… it's only a temporary solution. Her organs will slowly shut down one after the other."

Arturia swallowed and, her voice hoarse, she managed to whisper, "And… and what is the possible cure for this?"

The doctor's eyes, for the first time since she had started talking, flickered for an instant with an unidentifiable emotion. "There is no cure."

Before she could even register those words fully, the doctor spoke again. "That is, no cure that is affordable for this hospital."

Hope surged through Arturia's chest at those words.

"There is the possibility… not a very solid possibility… for a treatment. Through very expensive medicines and complicated surgeries for which we don't have the equipment, there is the possibility to save your sister and her child."

Any hope was instantly crushed as the doctor said the word 'expensive'. She and Iri were alone in the world and they didn't have any money; they barely had enough to pay the rent for their apartment and to raise little Shirou–

The doctor's last words made her snap her head up suddenly. Confused, she stared at the boy. How was he involved in Iri's illness?

It was a strange detail, but she grasped onto it, even if it was just to keep her sanity.

"I'm afraid I misheard you. Shirou is not Iri's biological child – he was adopted. Her illness can't affect him…–" her voice died in her throat at the surprised look the doctor gave her.

The woman's black braid fell forward as she leaned towards the blonde one.

"Ms. Pendragon… you were not aware of your sister's conditions?"

"Her… conditions?" Arturia felt it was too much. Her mind was about to go into overload from what she did not dare formulate coherently.

Carefully, the doctor eyed her, a very earnest expression settling on her features.

"It's the reason she collapsed today and the reason for which finding a cure is so desperately delicate. Irisviel is three months pregnant."

Eyes impossibly wide and body utterly rigid, Arturia could not do anything aside from staring at the medic in front of her in pure shock.

What?

What?!

Iri… was pregnant?

But… Iri had been told by the doctors that it was very unlikely for her to ever be able to conceive…!

And her body… even without the illness she had just been told about, her body was not strong enough for a pregnancy…! She would never make it!

Arturia felt her head getting light and her vision seemed to blur as she swayed slightly–… but she collected herself before the doctor could notice.

She had to be strong, in that moment more than ever before. She could not afford to show any weakness, she could not afford to _be_ a weakness. Not when her family needed her. Not when her family needed her _so much_ …

But the head medic was not oblivious. Realising that the young blonde woman was completely traumatised by what she had just found out, the doctor cleared her throat discreetly.

"I will leave you with your family now, Ms. Pendragon. This is a very tough situation to deal with… please take your time. I have told you all I know. We can discuss more details later." She took a deep breath. "However, you know that I don't have the habit of embellishing the truth with false hope. There is a possible cure for your sister – but its cost is extremely high." She named an estimated number that was the largest amount of money that Arturia had ever heard in her life. "Nothing else will work. We can't do anything more, aside from making the following months as comfortable as possible for her. We don't know if she will wake up from the coma, but it's unlikely."

There was another pause.

"You are your sister's closest and only relative, and she is not conscious to express her own opinion on it. I realize how harsh it is to say… but the decision on what to do relies entirely on your shoulders."

Before leaving the room, the doctor turned to look at the stock-still blonde woman once again.

"Ms. Pendragon. You are a very strong woman. I trust you will be strong in this situation, too."

With those words, the black braid disappeared from the room, and Arturia was left alone with her messed up, jumbled, and chaotic thoughts.

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	4. Past

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GILGAMESH (past)

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Among the people he knew in his field of work, one that stuck out was Iskandar Velvet.

The blond man knew him quite well: he was a talented businessman, renowned for his intense charisma and his capability of dealing with very different kinds of situations. Gilgamesh didn't find him particularly extraordinary as a person, but he did acknowledge his skills, and in those tedious gatherings the others insisted upon calling 'work meetings' – especially since they were anything but – the red-bearded giant was undoubtedly someone he could deign himself to talk to.

Yes, he may be annoying with his good-humoured ways, but at least he was not boring.

It was during one of those encounters that Gilgamesh received unwanted pieces of advice from him. Iskandar, who was about ten years older than him, had re-married after his first wife's death, and had a son, Waver, who was now in kindergarten.

Iskandar knew all about Gilgamesh's predicament in having to find a wife, even though it wasn't public knowledge, and he immediately took up the unrequested task of advising him.

With a grin so wide that it threatened to split his face in two, he leaned forward to try to slam his hand on the blond man's shoulder, completely disregarding the fact that Gilgamesh stepped to the side to avoid the contact with a haughty and displeased frown.

"I happen to know a woman that might interest you, Goldie!"

Even though he was used to the occasional spurts of nonsense from Iskandar – not to mention that objectionable _nickname_ – Gilgamesh still arched an eyebrow. He very much doubted that anything Iskandar said could be of use, but since the alternative to speaking with him was having to tolerate someone far less entertaining, he would make the effort of listening. Or, at least, of pretending to.

Seeing that Gilgamesh was looking at him in a bored manner, Iskandar took it as his cue to continue.

"A young woman of sound reasoning and firm behaviour, and who has always been able to civilly talk back to me in all of our discussions! She is somewhat a naïve thing, yes, but a true beautiful flower – albeit a raw one – and fiercely loyal to her family!"

As Iskandar continued with his fervent speech, Gilgamesh felt his interest gradually decrease. It was a good thing that he had not had any expectations when he had made the decision to listen, because otherwise, he would have been somewhat disappointed.

The person Iskandar was describing was not a woman – it was a child. Brave, perhaps… but a child nonetheless. He proceeded to inform the bulky man of that, not bothering to hide his annoyance.

As was usual for him, Iskandar laughed, but then, he suddenly looked Gilgamesh straight in the eye, his expression turning uncharacteristically serious.

"No, my friend, she's most certainly not a child… I called her a little girl myself, but I have to recognize, in spite of my better judgement, that I was wrong! I believe Enkidu here knows her better than I do though, so you go get to know her and then decide for yourself!"

And nothing the exasperated blond man had half a mind to say would ever make him change his mind, because Enkidu had heard every word, and wasted no time in making sure Gilgamesh went with him to meet said mysterious _woman_.

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For reasons he was still trying to determine, Enkidu had dragged him to the campus of the Central College. Even though he had rarely gone there in person, he knew the place somewhat well, as he was after all among its trustees. His mother had attended that same college as well, and had even been its headmistress for a few years before retiring.

His best friend had insisted they go there, and he had told him why only once they were already at the university campus.

Enkidu had taken Iskandar's words seriously and intended to make him meet the 'potential candidate'. Gilgamesh was completely certain of the fact that his best friend had good intentions and was _truly_ trying to help him, since the pressure about finding a wife had not lessened in the least, but that did not mean that he was _pleased_ about it. And the nameless woman apparently knew Enkidu – nothing strange there, because _everyone_ knew Enkidu. Aside from that, however, the reason for which they were at a college campus had still not been explained.

But when he actually met her – and Enkidu had somehow managed to make it look like an accidental meeting – Gilgamesh had to blink. Several times.

It was the same woman he had hired over two months before. Arturia Pendragon.

 _She_ was the person Iskandar had referred to him?

Had he not had such a firm control over his facial expression and considered it beneath him, the blond man would have laughed at the irony of the situation – and at Iskandar's idiocy.

This young _girl_ was the _woman_ he had suggested? It was beyond ridiculous.

Her reaction at seeing him there was amusing though. To say that she was dumbfounded was an understatement; she was obviously confused and worried, not expecting to see her employer at the college campus, and she was even more wary when Enkidu told her that the CEO of Uruk Enterprises was among its trustees.

The dialogue that followed was brief and formal but, to his surprise, Gilgamesh's interest was piqued when he witnessed her less-than-happy reaction when Enkidu brought up Iskandar's name. It appeared that she and the tall loudmouth were not exactly on good terms.

Intrigued by that, he made the effort to inquire about it and, before he knew it, he was immersed in a strangely sarcastic yet satisfying conversation with her.

He did not even realize how concentrated he was until he looked up and saw that Enkidu was enjoying the scene and was giving him one of his best smirks, a smirk he usually reserved only for the victims of his mischiefs.

Oh no, he wouldn't.

But, as it happened, Enkidu ended up enjoying himself a lot more in the following weeks.

At the beginning, Gilgamesh had started to go to campus more often, maybe a bit more than what was necessary, only to revel in her discomfort each time she saw him, or so he told his friend. He was still trying to deny the fact that he felt a little captivated by her.

Enkidu, however, was being quite sly in his comments, and when the Golden Businessman stopped replying to them, he had already started with actions that were more decisive.

Quite ingeniously, Enkidu began to organize several evenings out – sometimes making it so that Iskandar sent out the invitation – claiming that he wanted to replace their usual 'work meetings'. Yet in one way or another, Arturia Pendragon was always invited to participate in them.

Of course, one or two of her college friends, Iskandar and some other work colleagues, were always part of the group too, but either way, that meant that Gilgamesh was in her presence much more often than usual.

At first, she was very guarded with him, and avoided addressing him as frequently as possible, as she had obviously not forgotten that he was her employer. For that reason, the blond man found himself bored, and could only amuse himself by – unintentionally, he told himself – observing her interactions with others.

Mostly quiet, he would take in the scenes that were in front of him, thinking. And the more he saw of her, the more he considered it.

What if…?

No, that was absurd.

Nevertheless, he could not forget the fact that she had been singled out by both Enkidu and Iskandar. And before either of the two morons had ever brought her up, she had already caught his eye on her own as well.

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Once or twice, he had intervened in her conversations with others, mainly (and obviously) to get a reaction out of her, and to make sure she stopped being so annoyingly guarded when talking to him.

Arturia – Ria, as all her friends preferred calling her, although he personally detested the shortened version of her name – seemed to find it difficult to forget that he was her boss, but he would have none of her careful behaviour. He had seen how much passion she had when talking to others and on matters she cared about; she had no right to hold that back when speaking to him.

As always, he knew the perfect way to make sure she truly expressed her personal thoughts: pushing her buttons, of course.

It was actually amusing. He just needed to find the right thing to say with the right tone of voice and she became so easily riled up; furthermore, when she was stung, she had the most interesting of reactions.

After a while, he noted with satisfaction that she stopped being so cautious around him and, once she started being herself in the conversations with him, he could no longer claim to be bored.

As he had surmised from the conversations he had overheard, she was quite clever in and of itself, brought about intriguing ideas, and was quick on her feet when it came to arising problems.

At one point when she had answered a phone call and had replied in a foreign language, his head had snapped up as the familiarity of it brought a rare, small smile to his lips, one he was quick to hide as he took note of this fact as well. So, she spoke Japanese too.

She was unobjectionable in appearance. True, she was not rich and the way she dressed reflected that, but it was something he could remedy quickly.

Yes, he decided. She wasn't perfect, but she would do.

As his wife, she would be more than satisfactory for the public.

All that remained to be done was to inform her of the honour that he was going to be bestowing upon her.

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ARTURIA (past)

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A few weeks in her new position passed, and she received a formal letter from Uruk Enterprises that informed her that she had successfully passed her trial period and was officially a part-timer at the company. She breathed a sigh of relief – she had made it.

But if she thought her life would become easier, she was sorely mistaken, because she would never have expected her boss to show up at college campus the next day.

Arturia knew Enkidu Eabani; he was a very agreeable person, chatty and friendly – not to mention mischievous – and he seemed to know everyone. Occasionally, he came to campus, and she was aware of the fact that he contributed financially to the college and was among the people who organized major events there. He also worked at Uruk Enterprises; in fact, it was from him that she had received information about internships and jobs.

She had not told him that she had actually been hired though, because she had not seen him in quite a while; and while she knew where he worked, she had no idea that he was not only one of the directors of the offices, but also the CEO's best friend.

She _also_ would never have expected the head of Uruk Enterprises to show up at campus with him.

So there she was, standing in front of her boss, remaining mute after very formally and politely greeting him and his companion. Her thoughts were quite rattled in that moment and she could not stop thinking that she had to do all she could to keep her job. She needed it; she could not afford to endanger her position.

When in a working environment, she was usually in her element and managed to be professional, but… here, at school…

What if she said the wrong thing? What if she unintentionally did something that could jeopardize everything?

The fact that Enkidu was continuing to chat was a relief, because at least she could concentrate on his words– wait a second. What was he saying? Had she heard him right?

He had just said that Gilgamesh Uruk was among the trustees of the college.

She eyed him warily. His blood red eyes had been staring at her the whole time, no doubt waiting for her to say something to embarrass herself, and as per usual, he was smirking. What an arrogant man.

Enkidu grinned, looking at the two of them, and changed the subject.

"So, Ria~. I had no idea you were working at Uruk Enterprises. How are you enjoying your job?"

Two pairs of eyes landed on him, and his grin widened. Inwardly sighing, Arturia kept her expression composed; it was obvious that he expected an answer, but she had to be careful.

Diplomatically, choosing to stay as close to the truth as possible, she said, "I am very grateful for the opportunity of working in such a dynamic and successful environment."

It was the truth: even though her boss was the king of arrogance, the workplace was challenging, positive, and extremely vibrant. And she _was_ grateful for being able to work there.

At her words, Gilgamesh's expression did not betray a thing, while Enkidu just rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, those are the cautious words you are _supposed_ to say. But don't pretend you aren't just _thrilled_ about working for Gil?"

She simply gave him her best glare, and he only seemed to become happier, his yellow-grey eyes sparkling with mirth.

"I know for a fact that Gil enjoys having a fiery person like you at work! He said that–"

He wasn't able to continue, however, because he had to massage his head sullenly after receiving a solid whack from Gilgamesh. In Arturia's private opinion, he should have seriously seen it coming.

She rolled her eyes and, in doing so, met her boss's gaze.

For the first time since they had become acquainted, Gilgamesh and Arturia exchanged a non-threatening, quite neutral glance. It wasn't friendly, of course, but it was… different.

Enkidu's antics had annoyed them both; there was common ground, for the first time, no matter how unusual it was.

Naturally, the first one to notice that was Enkidu himself. His grin could not have been wider, and Arturia decided to hurry and say something, anything – as inconsequential as possible – just to have some small talk and then afterwards possibly excuse herself and leave.

Giving a reply to the last sentence he had uttered before being interrupted by the smack, she carefully said, "I'm sure Mr. Uruk said several things."

Such a foolish assessment on her part – she mentally face-palmed at her lack of a better reply.

Before Gilgamesh could do anything more than lift an eyebrow, Enkidu tsked and shook his head.

"Ria~, what is with that 'Mr. Uruk'! His name is Gilgamesh!"

That was quite unexpected, and quite forward, as she couldn't just address her boss in such a way. Gilgamesh, however, took her by surprise with his following words.

He inclined his head slightly, a mildly condescending expression on his face.

"We are not at work here. You may drop the formalities and call me by my first name."

Her eyebrows rose quite a bit at that statement – not to mention his patronizing tone – but she was not the only one who was shocked: Enkidu was staring at the blond man in wonder as well. He obviously hadn't expected his consent to the suggestion any more than Arturia did.

She recovered faster though, and took advantage of Enkidu's surprise to compose herself again and ask Gilgamesh what the two of them were doing there. None of his usual haughtiness left him as he replied, but at the very least, the atmosphere changed a little.

They were no longer employer and employee. They could behave like simple acquaintances.

As they made their way towards the administrative offices, Enkidu explained to her that he had not known that the college student who had been hired part-time was her, and it was only because of Iskandar that they had come to the campus on this day and had therefore found out.

Iskandar. A muscle flexed in her jaw, but she kept her mouth shut.

After reaching their destination and politely taking her leave, Arturia's thoughts went to the red-bearded man.

She was quite certain that she had been able to dissimulate her reaction when she had heard his name, even though Gilgamesh had no doubt noticed, since he had tried to bring the conversation onto him, but she had deflected it right away.

She knew Iskandar – or rather, she _had known_ him. They had not exactly had a disagreement, but they had different outlooks on life, and she had pulled away, cutting off any semblance of tie to him.

She did not dislike him per se, but she did find it irritating that he never seemed to take things seriously. She also knew that he had once truly looked down on her, and several times, in the past, he had refused to consider her or even acknowledge her presence when talking in groups or to others. She remembered how she had seriously pondered over his inexplicable behaviour and subsequently decided to ignore it, because it was obviously not worth her time. Strangely, that had then actually prompted a change. He had observed her more attentively, and had ended up acknowledging her; but, when he had tried to find reconciliation with his usual joviality, she had bluntly told him that she would not accept that. Even if she had forgiven his past offensive behaviour of immature and immediate despise towards her, the fact that he was suddenly willing to grant her his respect did not mean that there could be so quick a friendship between them. And after quite an animated discussion, he had seen her point.

She had sporadically heard about him from then on. She knew that he had a young son, Waver, going to kindergarten, and that his wife had died during childbirth; she later heard that he was dating a woman named Medusa, and was most likely going to remarry. While she was glad if things went well for him, she was not interested in being part of his life in any way.

However, meeting her boss – Gilgamesh – at campus had made those memories come back. And things became even stranger when, only a few days later, Iskandar contacted her to invite her to an evening out with some of her friends from university and some of his business associates.

She would have refused, if he hadn't added that Gilgamesh was going to be part of the group, too – and she knew very well that she could not afford to offend her boss.

To her relief, Enkidu was present as well and his good-humoured ways made everything more natural and helped her feel somewhat more at ease.

Yet, to her chagrin, that evening ended up being the first of many.

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To her fundamental displeasure, Arturia had to take part in evenings out far more often than she wished to with a group of people in which she only liked a few.

And among the ones she did _not_ like, there was Gilgamesh.

Didn't he have any work to do? Didn't he have more important things to take care of, instead of going out with them on those evenings and always engaging her in conversation?

He always found new subjects to address, all constantly kept somewhat formal and detached, and he even had Iskandar back up his arguments. At first, she was cautious, but then, some of his comments became too much, and she started to counter his opinions with some of her own. And they _always_ ended up in discussions.

She really couldn't understand it. What did Gilgamesh have in mind? She was certain that he had a hidden agenda of some sorts.

He _was_ showing up quite often at campus. And he _was_ talking with her more than with anyone else. In fact, he hardly talked to anyone _but_ her.

But she had very few doubts that all a man like him was after was some entertainment. He seemed to be easily bored by anything; therefore, it was very likely that he was simply looking for a form of amusement.

And for some outrageous reason, she seemed to have become one for him.

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	5. Desperation

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MAIN (present)

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Unwanted tears gathered in her eyes, but Arturia angrily wiped them away.

"Iri…" she breathed, unable to say anything more or think about anything else as she stared at the comatose form of her sister.

She tore her gaze away from the white-haired woman, and went to her sleeping nephew to put a blanket over him. Little Shirou had been incredibly scared earlier, because he didn't know what was wrong with his mother and he obviously wanted to be with her, but she was relieved that he had calmed down upon her arrival.

There was no point in trying to ignore or amend reality.

Her beloved, _pregnant_ sister was in a coma and _dying_.

Perhaps the doctor had not said it so explicitly – most likely in an attempt to be gentle – but the meaning was beyond clear. Iri was very ill, and the unexpected pregnancy was making things far more delicate and complicated than the illness itself needed to be.

There was the possibility of treating her, yes. But it was way, way beyond what she could afford.

Unless she found the money to pay for the treatment, Arturia would not be able to save her sister's life.

And she just simply _did not have the money for it_.

The two sisters didn't have anything. When her husband Kiritsugu was alive, Iri had been in reasonably good health – though still with some infirmities – and had worked as a maid in a café. At his death, which had occurred only a little over two months prior to this incident, Iri had been deeply affected, and her health conditions had taken a turn for the worse. Only the love for the boy she had adopted with her husband a year earlier, and her sister's tenacious support, had kept her from spiralling into depression.

When Arturia had gone back to Uruk Enterprises in search for a job after her internship had ended, it had been when Kiritsugu was still alive but already hospitalized. She was in her last year of college, and later having to look after her grieving sister, her very young nephew and managing both her schoolwork and her job on top of all that was no easy task, but she was determined and perseverant, and things had started to look better in the past few weeks…

…of course, that was no longer the case.

Although Arturia had an adequately well-paid job at Uruk Enterprises, not even two entire years of pay would have been enough to afford the full cure of her sister's disease. And that was without considering Shirou. Even if she gave up all the money she had, there was still the little boy's life and education to keep in mind, and she could not forget about him.

Neither she nor Iri had the necessary means for all of that.

Their parents were dead, and they had no other relatives. She herself had a cousin, but he was only a few years older than she was and had only been working for a couple months at this point, not to mention the fact that he lived so far away; she could not ask him for help.

Where? _Where_ could she find the money?

She felt her head ready to explode. Iri and her unborn child were going to die if she didn't find a way to pay for their treatment!

Arturia was glad that Shirou was fast asleep under the covers, because her levels of nervousness, worry, and stress were so escalated that she found herself pacing around the room, clutching her hands and being almost on the point of tearing her hair out.

She continued to take deep breaths in hopes of calming down, but it was no use.

She had to find a solution. She _had_ to!

She stopped in her motions and took another deep breath, forcing her body to remain rigid as she tried, with all her might, to make it relax. Just a short while before, she had taken the resolution to keep her emotions in check; it was time to do it once again, as unmanageable as it seemed to be.

She found the chair the doctor had given her earlier, and sat down again. She tried to concentrate.

How, in what way, where, could she find money? She did not possess anything valuable enough to sell, and even if she gave up the apartment, it wouldn't even _remotely_ be enough.

She could ask for a loan… but how would she ever repay it? Besides, no bank would give such a large loan to a young person without a stable income and a secure job – while she only had a part-time one and was still in college.

She needed the money. The money, and quickly, or her sister would die. How could she make the money? _How_?

Back to her feet, she started pacing in the room again, not noticing how hours went by, as she mentally considered countless possibilities and was forced to discard all of them.

A soft sigh coming from the side almost made her jump, but she managed to control herself.

"Auntie Ria?"

She forced herself to produce a smile.

"Shirou. Why are you awake?"

She hoped it hadn't been her incessant walking around the room that had woken him, but she didn't have the opportunity to ask that question, because the boy's eyes had landed on the unconscious form of his mother. His expression was sad.

"I want my mommy."

Arturia carefully controlled her facial expression, and was even able to keep her smile in place.

"She's sleeping now. Later, perhaps…?"

The boy looked down, and Arturia sighed internally.

"Shirou… please come here."

Pulling the chair next to the bed, she sat down after hours of pacing around the room, and she felt her knees protesting at the sudden movement.

The little boy climbed on her lap. He was young, yes, and he was still a child, but children were not stupid. Arturia knew and she did not want to shock him, but he had the right to know the truth. Lying was not going to do him any good.

They were talking about his _mother_ ; she had to be honest with him.

She was serious, but gentle.

"Shirou, mommy is not well."

The boy seemed confused by the quite obvious statement, and she continued, "Meaning, she is _really_ not well. Not like daddy, hopefully. But she is sleeping very deeply… to fight an illness. She will not wake up for a while."

Her green eyes observed him anxiously, waiting for his reaction. Shirou seemed uncertain.

"That… that means… that she is… going to leave…?"

Arturia shook her head.

"Not if we do everything we can for her. She is ill, and she needs our help. You and I, Shirou, will need to be strong for her. That will help her. Do you understand?"

The boy looked into her eyes very intensely, as if to judge her sincerity, and then nodded.

"I will do my best for mommy."

Arturia smiled a little, this time not having to force herself.

"Thank you, Shirou. Now go back to bed. You need to sleep to be strong."

She accompanied the boy and tucked him under the hospital blanket. After discreetly touching his forehead and not detecting any sign of fever, she relaxed, but remained vigil by his side, looking over him until he fell asleep.

Watching her nephew as he was curled up into a ball under the covers, she felt her inner resolve – which had been on the verge of breaking earlier – coming back to her.

She was not going to allow Shirou to see his mother die. _Never_.

She _would not_ allow it… she would not!

When she was certain the child was asleep, she went back to pacing around the room again. She had to find a solution.

She did not know many people, but she was going to _have_ to swallow her pride and ask for help to those she knew.

Now that she thought about it… On that same day, she had been together with rich and influential people.

They weren't exactly her friends; but they might at least have more knowledge than she did about finding the money she needed.

Perhaps… perhaps Enkidu could have suggestions? They were not close friends, but they did know each other quite well. Moreover, he was a businessman, which meant that he might have connections that could help her. Knowing what kind of man he was, she was sure that, once she explained her predicament, he would agree to do something to help her find the money. He had a good heart, he would not refuse to help her find a solution.

Thinking about Enkidu, however, made her remember another thing. Enkidu was a friendly person, and his friend–

–his best friend–

Oh, _damn_.

Enkidu's best friend.

 _Gilgamesh Uruk_.

The man who had so preposterously proposed to her just some mere hours before. And the same man she had humiliated by slapping in public.

The idea was a completely random and wild one, and utterly absurd, but…

…but…

… _he_ could be her solution.

He was rich. In fact, he was the richest man in the country, if she wasn't mistaken.

 _He_ certainly had the money she needed.

Wait. No. No.

 _No_. No, she could not _truly_ be thinking…

What had he asked of her again? Her hand in marriage. Could she do such a thing? Marry that man…?

Why had she rejected him in such a harsh manner! He had certainly deserved it, but now… now she actually needed that arrogant man's money.

Arturia felt disgusted and ashamed of herself for her vile thoughts.

It was incredibly wrong to think in such a way.

It was _so_ wrong… but she was actually wishing she had not slapped him, because she would need to be on his good side. His proposal had been… how much time had passed? It had been only a few hours before; it had been just the day before, then.

Oh, it was simply… _wrong_!

But she knew that he did not want a wife. All he wanted was to give an impression of himself as someone who cared about family, because it would be positive for his image.

Well then…

If…

If he had been serious in his proposal, then maybe… maybe it could still stand…?

Provided he had actually been serious…

The mere idea revolted her, but… _if she apologized_ …

What was she thinking?! It would mean stomping on her pride and doing something she had sworn to herself she would never do, going against the beliefs and principles that guided her.

And it would mean doing something horrible.

 _A marriage of convenience_. _A marriage for money._ Such a deeply disgusting concept.

But… for Iri…

That thought was enough to convince her.

Yes.

Her sister was dying. Iri was dying, and there was _nothing_ Arturia could do.

As much as she disliked what she would probably have to do for it, there seemed to be no other viable option available to her.

For Iri. For the child her sister was carrying. For little Shirou.

For them. She could and _would_ do it.

But… what if he didn't accept? She hadn't exactly been nice in her rejection – well, that was a huge understatement.

That meant that she was going to have to be honest. That was the easy part: she was not the type to deceive, and she abhorred the notion. She would have to apologize to Gilgamesh, to make sure he listened to her, and then tell him the truth.

He might even reject _her_ , and humiliate her. In fact, it was very likely he would do precisely that.

That made her hesitate for a split second. But one glance towards Iri's bed was enough to make her decide.

It did not matter if that arrogant man humiliated and scorned her in public. For her sister's wellbeing, she would try. Because her sister was worth it.

 _Her sister's life_ was worth it.

It was the best option she had in mind.

Therefore, it was going to be the first thing she did in the morning, because it was extremely late, or rather, extremely early in the morning at the moment. And if dealing with a man like him didn't work, she would have no other choice but to track down Enkidu and ask for his help.

That was what she was going to do.

But she could not go to that man unprepared; that made her decide that, during the time she had left until then – no, she didn't even consider the possibility of getting some sleep – she had to do some research, on the hospital's computers that were available on the ground floor.

Some research on Gilgamesh Uruk, the richest person in the country, to whom she was going to propose the following day.

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Realistically speaking, it wasn't going to be easy.

As she woke up little Shirou the next morning and spoke with him briefly, her mind never wandered far from what she was going to have to do.

Accepting to… marry… _that_ man…? That would mean… becoming a trophy wife, in the eye of the media and on newspapers, giving up her privacy…

Oh, but that was–

– _it was a matter of no consequence_.

Anything for her sister and her nephew. For her _family_.

She would do _anything_ for them.

So long as _he_ accepted her deal though.

Therefore, after entrusting her nephew to the nurses who knew him, ruffling his hair and giving him a kiss on the forehead, she went straight to the Central College. She probably looked awful because of her lack of sleep and because she was still wearing the previous day's clothes, but she did not care.

She looked decent enough to speak with him, provided she managed to find him as long as possible.

She knew Gilgamesh was going to be on campus that day because of some administrative matters. It was true that he might have cancelled – she did not know if that was the case – but she had to try and look for him anyway.

Before going to the yard that was in front of the administration building, she hesitated one last time.

Even after running through her plan numerous times, she could not help having uncertainties. Would it be wise to go ask Gilgamesh for help, just like that, and the day after slapping him?

In truth, she didn't really know him as a person; as far she was aware, he could very well be a maniac, a sociopath, a psychopath, or all of the above.

And she was going to speak to him about a _marriage_ ; a marriage to _him_.

She shook her head briefly. There was no need to be so dramatic. He was, after all, Enkidu's best friend. He _had_ to have something acceptable in him… right?

Well, perhaps not.

But it was not something she could control nor take into true consideration. She needed the money – desperately. And Gilgamesh was someone who would make it possible to obtain it.

She had to swallow her pride. After giving him a slap and rejecting him like that, she had to both apologize and ask him if his offer was still standing.

She already felt ashamed of herself. And deeply disgusted.

Having to _beg_ that arrogant man for–

But it was for _Iri_. For her sister, who would die if she didn't do _something_.

She had always been an avid reader, and she had read about many historic events in which people had to make sacrifices for the well-being of others. It was always mentioned that the sacrifice was grand, and they were praised for it, but no words could describe how hard it actually was to decide to do something as huge with one's life as Arturia Pendragon was deciding to do with hers. No amount of words from anything she had read – and she truly _loved_ reading – could describe how hard it was to stick to the decision.

 _Making_ it was easy – for Iri, she knew she would do anything.

But staying true to it… _that_ was not easy, and it would probably never be.

She had however made her decision, and she wasn't the type of person who second-guessed herself once she made up her mind. She would go through with it and fervently hope it worked.

She could do this.

She took a deep breath before turning the corner.

She spotted him almost immediately, on one side of the park in front of the building where he was talking with Enkidu. That was good, because if, as was likely, things did not go well with him, at least she knew where to find another person who might help her.

She inhaled once more, forcing herself to relax. Time to get things over with.

She walked towards them, doing her best to ignore her heart pounding against her ribcage. As soon as she was next to them, she cleared her throat to get their attention.

She maintained her expression neutral as they both gave her somewhat surprised and wary looks.

Pushing down a sudden wave of nausea as she thought again about what she was going to do, Arturia let her emerald green gaze meet Gilgamesh's blood red one and bowed slightly, slowly, formally.

"Pardon the interruption. May I speak with you, please?"

She could no longer hold his gaze and lowered her eyes – no matter how much she cursed herself for it – therefore she did not see the glance he and Enkidu exchanged.

His reply was short.

"Very well. I am listening."

Her eyes flickered around briefly.

"Not here. This is important."

His eyes narrowed at her, and she understood his annoyance perfectly. He was under no obligation of listening to her, but she really needed to speak with him – and alone.

She looked him in the eye, and her desperate thoughts went to Iri…

She didn't know what he saw in her eyes, but his own widened slightly and his obviously ready protests died on his lips. He seemed to evaluate her, as he usually did, observing her in a cold and calculating manner.

For Arturia, nervous, sleep-deprived, and ready to break down as she was, that short period of silence was _horrendous_.

A curt, "Come with me then," and he started walking.

She followed him, giving a short nod in parting to Enkidu.

He directed her to a café right outside the building, and requested a table slightly isolated from the rest. They took off their coats, sat down and let the waiter take their orders. Unwilling to waste any time, but aware of how important that meeting was, Arturia ordered black coffee, as she had not slept but wanted to be wide awake. She missed how Gilgamesh's eyebrows rose at her choice and the way his gaze lingered briefly on the dark bags underneath her eyes.

He stared at her then, somewhat expectantly. She cleared her throat and forced herself to look at him.

"Thank you… for agreeing to talk."

She took a deep breath, the umpteenth that day. Time to begin.

First things first – making amends.

"I… apologize for slapping you yesterday."

He frowned. She continued, a bit stiffly, "I will not express regret for an act that you deserved in that moment, but I am sorry for the… arrogance of my behaviour towards you."

She did not give him the time to say anything. "And I also apologize because it happened in public. It was not my intention to be as offensive as I was."

She was no longer looking at him, but she heard his reply loud and clear.

"Apology accepted, Ms. Pendragon."

His tone was colder than usual, which was very uncommon behaviour on his part towards her. She also noticed the use of her surname; he had always called her by her full first name, claiming he preferred it.

She suppressed a little sigh, relieved that the first big part was over, but it was just the beginning. Now to the other, much more important part.

"I did not ask to speak with you merely to offer an apology though." She had to swallow, but she refused to let it be too apparent. "I need to ask… that is, I would like to know…" – and she looked him straight in the eye, deciding to just stop fidgeting and get it over with – "…if your proposal is still standing."

She could not have said anything that was more unexpected. His jaw actually dropped open in shock, and she felt herself reddening slightly.

Nevertheless, she needed to make sure he would not misunderstand her, and forced herself to continue.

"It's exactly as it seems – I'm asking you to marry me."

After several minutes of silent staring, he finally spoke. Every word was uttered cautiously, and there was a very guarded look in his eyes.

"This is quite… unexpected. I look forward to your full explanation. _Now_."

It was evident that he was clever enough to realize that there was much more at stake than what appeared at first glance, and he wanted answers.

She had every intention of coming clean; after all, if he agreed, it was only fair that he knew the truth. If she was going to use him – or rather, use his money – she wanted him to be fully aware of it.

She steeled herself.

"To put things very bluntly… I need money. A huge amount of money. And for a prolonged period of time."

She did not realize how her green eyes suddenly turned very, very sad, giving deep emotion to her speech. "My elder sister… needs very expensive treatment. She is dying." She started to speak faster, her words becoming more jumbled. "I only found out yesterday the truth about her conditions – and the only way to heal her is through means I have no access to because of their cost."

She looked him in the eye again before sighing in an attempt to recollect herself.

"I looked up the profiles for you and your company. You have given a few interviews – you spoke about the person you would need as an ideal wife." She sat a little straighter. "As you pointed out yourself, I do meet the standards you set. I am fluent in Japanese, I will have the degree you demand in a few months after I graduate, and you proposed to me yourself yesterday, which probably means you can bear having me around." Her shoulders slumped a little as her voice dropped in volume, even though the changes were slight. "This is, however, only assuming that your proposal still stands."

A long, incredibly heavy silence followed. The waiter arrived with their orders and went away, and Gilgamesh started to stir his coffee, immersed in his thoughts.

After taking his time, he looked up at her again.

"Basically, all you need is the money… while you have already realized that what _I_ need is someone capable of not disgracing my image as a businessman."

He continued to look at her, calculatingly, and then he suddenly smirked, leaning forward.

"The proposal still stands, Arturia, and I am willing to give you the money you need for your sister… but first, we need to discuss quite a few _other_ matters."

She narrowed her eyes. She was surprised about the fact that he had agreed to her idea so quickly, and she was understandably suspicious.

He continued, "Since this seems to have become more of a business contract rather than a marriage, then it's only proper we create a contract… and we will discuss its terms until the very last of details."

She raised an eyebrow, and he continued nonchalantly, "Cancel any other engagement you have today – this will take quite some time."

His expression was quite satisfied, and his eyes had a predatory glint in them.

"Don't forget who I am, Arturia. I am a businessman – and now we will be talking business."

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	6. Contract, part 1

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She remained rigid in her seat. Not moving. Not daring to take even a single breath.

What _exactly_ did he mean?

When she proceeded to ask, he smirked again.

"It is as I said, this is a business arrangement. We will both sign a legal contract that contains the terms and conditions of our arrangement. To do that," he leaned back against the chair slightly, "we have to discuss everything that will be written in it."

Well, since he _was_ a businessman after all, it made sense. She felt compelled to voice her concerns though.

"How do I know that you won't be deceiving me? That you won't be turning things completely to your own advantage?"

His widening lazy smirk was truly getting on her nerves – and she hadn't been in his presence for even half an hour. Those already haughty crimson eyes of his held a more arrogant look than usual as he resumed his monologue.

"Having things advantageous for me is not something that _can_ happen, because it was already fact as soon as you agreed to all this. You should have been aware of it when you came here today. I wouldn't have accepted your proposal or gone through the trouble of proposing a contract in the first place if I _didn't know_ I'd be getting the most benefits out of it."

Arturia wasn't sure how she was feeling about the whole… situation. On one hand, she was relieved of the fact that she wouldn't actually be the only one finding use in the arrangement; on the other hand, she was angered by the way he was openly stating that _he_ would be using _her_.

But then again, it was not like she could openly object it, could she?

They were both using _each other_ … that was probably the best way to think about it, and it made her feel a little less guilty about it since, technically, it was no lie.

She was brought out of her musings when he began talking again. She noticed however a change as he started up this time: he was no longer smirking, his expression was more serious, his eyes were sharper, and his voice was more… more… _professional_. Unfortunately, she noted to the side, all of his usual arrogance was still there.

For a brief moment, she regretted not having gotten even a wink of sleep that night – her tolerance and attention to detail thus very low – but regretting was useless. She had to make the most of the situation and be as focused as possible.

 _Her_ future life was going to be decided on this day. A determined expression settled on her features as she stared into his eyes. She was ready.

During her brief mental escapade, Gilgamesh simply looked at her, very much amused by the way her inner conflicts and emotions were reflected on her face. As much as she obviously tried to avoid thinking about it, he was fully aware of the fact that she was conscious of what she was agreeing to do. He could see that this woman was upholding her façade of dignity – when she had come there to basically beg him for money.

He had to admit that, in some ways, he grudgingly respected her courage for coming to him the day after that offensive _incident_ and actually asking for his cooperation. Even though, he considered, perhaps it was not courage; she was probably not thinking straight because of simple desperation.

Not that it mattered, as it was perfect for him and his plans.

Now it was time to begin discussing the contract, therefore he met her gaze. He was ready, too.

"First thing is the living arrangements. Once we get married, you will be required to move into my house. The servants will bring your belongings from your own residence – that will be settled fairly quickly." He gave her a pointed look. "Also to note, in my house, servants take care of everything. This is something I'm certain you're unaccustomed to, so while you will not be asked to do any chores, what you _will_ be asked to is to live up to your role as a 'wife' in the public's eye."

He paused briefly. "That means that you are required to attend all sorts of mundane events and social engagements that take place, with or without me, as long as the public expects it. Nothing but a health illness is accepted as excuse for not attending."

Arturia interjected, with a slight glare, "Illness – mine _and_ my _family's_. My _family_ will always have priority."

She stressed the word 'family'. She would do what Gilgamesh asked of her, but her nephew and her sister would always come first.

He brushed her comment aside with a wave of his hand and went on.

"As my wife, you are expected to appear in public with me and have pictures taken of you. I assume you are intelligent enough to understand that, since there is heavy media attention, there could be disadvantages regarding your privacy."

She tried her best not to glare at him, and a sigh almost escaped her. He _assumed_. What a jerk.

"I'm aware, Gilgamesh. I know that I will have to be extremely careful in being in outdoor places once the… engagement… becomes public knowledge." Saying it aloud felt incredibly strange, even surreal.

He raised an eyebrow; something about her sentence did not sit well with him.

"There is no need to be so melodramatic. Being engaged to me means that you are granted some form of protection from too invasive media. What can be at risk is your past and the private life of the people in your family. The reporters will dig into everything they can about you."

Arturia bit her lip, but she had more or less expected such a thing, and she didn't really have to worry. There was nothing in her past or personal life that she needed to be ashamed of, and regarding her family…

"I have no family except my sister and my nephew, and they are both at the hospital right now. I believe that this will somewhat help keep their personal life away from the media… at least for a while. And if it doesn't… then I ask you to do all you can to keep them away from the public, since _I_ will be on display, after all, and not them."

Gilgamesh nodded curtly and went on with the things he had to discuss with her, dismissing the brief and unpleasant thought he had suddenly had.

He had not known that she did not have anyone else in her family. Come to think about it, he didn't know almost anything about the woman he was going to marry–

No. He would not succumb to such foolish thoughts.

There was another matter, one he was going to enjoy addressing. He felt a new smirk about to creep on his face, but he decided he could hold it back for a little while.

"Our marriage may be just a business transaction, but I expect consummation."

He had been right: he definitely enjoyed her reaction. She became rigid in her seat and her eyes widened – but then she composed herself and gave him the blankest of stares.

He snorted internally. Was she trying to feign ignorance? As if that would work on him. If anything, it was going to make him blunter.

Well, she had asked for it.

He leaned forward. His gaze was curious and somewhat thoughtful on her.

"Will you have sex with me?"

She deadpanned. _What_.

"…I beg your pardon?"

His smirk finally revealed itself.

"Attempting obliviousness doesn't become you, Arturia."

She glared fiercely at him. To hell with manners and attempts at politeness.

" _No_. I won't have sex with you," she retorted in a low voice.

He had expected such a reply, and decided to tease her some more. In spite of all his arrogance, he would never _demand_ for anyone to sleep with him, but she didn't know that, and he would use this for his own amusement. Her reactions were a lot of fun, if he had to be honest with himself.

"Oh? And why not?"

Her reply was stern.

"I have the option to decline – and so I will, because I'm not interested." She stared straight into his eyes. " _I will not sleep with you_."

He tsked. "Such a pity. I can't say I am happy about your decision."

She only gave him another glare, silently fuming about his words. It was obvious that she was holding herself back from yelling at him; she clearly didn't want to remain on the subject any longer.

Gilgamesh smirked once again. She certainly wasn't a boring person to have around, and finding topics that both angered and discomforted her like this was very amusing. Briefly, he thought that the kind of blunt dialogue that had just occurred was probably a result of Enkidu's recent, mischievous influence, as much as he tried to avoid picking up things from his unpredictable friend.

Speaking of Enkidu…

"On another note," he began.

She focused on him, seeming a bit wary but at the same time glad about the change of subject.

"Everything we are discussing today and the details of the contract are _only_ for us to know – it can't ever be publicly disclosed. However, I will have to tell Enkidu the real reasons for this marriage, without giving away the specifics, of course. I trust you don't have objections about this?"

Arturia remained quiet for a moment, and then spoke up.

"I believe Enkidu to be a good person – even if he is your best friend – therefore it's fine. However," she completely ignored him narrowing his eyes at her jab, "I will tell the real reason for this marriage to my sister as well… once she is better."

Gilgamesh was ready to protest but, to his surprise, she gave him a sharp look.

"This is not something on which I will have a discussion with you, Gilgamesh. My sister is my closest confidante, and she has the right to know the truth. And, as much as you continually seem to try to prove the contrary, you do care about your friendship with Enkidu – and that is the reason why you don't want to lie to him either."

He could not say he was happy about the woman's insight, but he could not say he wasn't amazed either. That was happening quite often on this day, but once again, he dismissed the thought.

"Another thing must be very clear. Your obligation of having to appear in public with me doesn't mean just being on my arm and looking at the cameras. It means _acting_ as my wife in everything you do under the public eye."

She could not hold back; perhaps her lack of sleep was finally catching up to her, or perhaps it was the fact that he seemed to treat her like a child.

"Right. Tricking the world into thinking that I married you _out of love_ – please don't worry about that."

He did not seem particularly happy with her sarcasm.

"That will be the most important part of what is asked of you. I expect you to take it seriously."

She gave him a dirty look, not happy with his rebuking her either.

"I can pretend I care about you well enough, Gilgamesh… the question is, can you do the same?"

He seemed bored, but she could _feel_ him smirking through his words.

"I don't have to pretend I care about myself, Arturia."

Wasn't he _witty_. She did her best not to make it too apparent that she felt ready to bite his head off.

"Oh, I don't doubt that for a second, what I mean is, are you able to pretend you care about _someone else_ that is not you? In the case at present, _me_?"

He actually seemed slightly perplexed. And she rolled her eyes; how conceited could a person actually be?

"I see. You thought that getting a wife would mean that she would have to do all the work, and probably gush and fawn all over you so to please the press and the public attention. Well, I'm afraid it doesn't work like that."

She stopped to take a breath, and then continued, "You want to fool the media and create a good image of yourself. That means that you have to show your affection as well. The tabloids would give a very unfavourable evaluation of you, if they wrote that you got married but do not seem to care about your wife. A bond of marriage is not one-sided, and if you don't see that and agree to do your part, you might as well acknowledge that this agreement will bring you no advantage at all."

Gilgamesh had to be careful not to blink. She – she was talking back to him, and she was saying things that made sense.

Not that he would _ever_ tell her that, but she did indeed have a point.

The marriage arrangement he wanted apparently needed a little more effort on his part. Well, there was a very easy solution to that problem.

He smirked slowly, and she seemed to retreat a little in her seat, as she had been quick to learn that that smirk was not a good sign.

"Very well… so, I will need to show my affection towards you." She waited, warily, for the next part. "That means that you will have to let me kiss you."

His smirk widened, and he added, " _In public_."

She did not have a reply to that, and he was quite smug about it, deciding to pile it on. "What _better_ way to show my affection, after all?"

Curse this man. And to think that she had been the one to involuntarily give him that idea. She could obviously not back away from it, but she would give him her rules nonetheless.

"Kisses in public… can be acceptable and actually a good way of expressing affection," she reluctantly conceded, and did her best to pay no attention whatsoever to his grin. "However," and her expression did not leave any room for argument, "only when there is a valid motivation for the gesture, and nothing more than _chaste_ kissing."

For some reason, her being so specific on that detail irked Gilgamesh. It amused him too though.

He leaned forward, elegantly resting his chin on his palm.

"Are you truly unable to carry out a conversation without being confrontational, Arturia?"

Sarcasm dripping from every word, she replied, "No, Gilgamesh. Please consider yourself more special than you already do… this is only for you."

He scoffed, not very amused anymore.

"Hmph. Impudence. How derisible."

She seemed unconcerned, and he decided it was time to change the subject once again. There was still a lot to discuss, after all, and he had to make sure she knew what he wanted from her, as his wife.

"This other thing must be made completely clear. Getting married and making sure that the public believes it's a marriage of love doesn't mean you will have to cling to me." He looked at her haughtily. "I demand a wife, not a fangirl."

She raised an eyebrow, and looked scornful. Conceited didn't even come _close_ to what this man was, indeed.

"I am not a fan of your way of thinking and your behaviour, Gilgamesh, so you needn't worry – don't expect me to be anywhere near you unless it's necessary. I will be on display in public, do what is suitable for a 'proper' wife and fulfil my role to the best of my abilities, but that is merely the façade I have agreed to keep up. My family is what comes first, and what _truly_ matters to me."

"I expect nothing more of you – but also nothing less, Arturia. For the public, you will have to be my wife – and that means that things that you do in private might be monitored by the press and exposed as well."

He looked – was it really possible? – quite sombre and serious. She nodded briefly, not truly surprised by his warning. She was aware of that kind of danger, but it wasn't what really concerned her, and she intended to clarify what she meant.

"The loss of privacy is unavoidable, and I am conscious of that. But, regarding several matters we have addressed today, let's make something very clear. I will not be considered your inferior, or someone you can order around. I am expected to be your wife – therefore, your _equal_."

Her words interested – and actually offended – him to some degree.

"What makes you feel the need to say something like that?"

She looked him straight in the eye.

"The kind of person you are, Gilgamesh. As I said, I don't approve of your way of thinking. You are used to having everything done with a snap of your fingers, and you look down on everyone." She was silent for a second, and then amended, "Except your friend Enkidu, probably. But here is the thing: you may as well despise me for accepting to marry you because of selfish materialistic reasons, and I will by no means fault you for that. But you will not mistreat me or humiliate me, in public or in private."

His expression turned sardonic.

"You mean, the way you humiliated _me_ just yesterday?"

She could not avoid a blush of mortification. He was right.

Very uncomfortably, she nodded. "I will publicly apologize for that. Even though I still believe you deserved it for the contemptuous manner in which you addressed me, that certainly did not warrant the following quite derogatory scene."

He actually had the gall to seem amused.

"Well, well. While it's very… _fair_ of you to offer to do that, it won't be necessary."

She raised an eyebrow.

He continued, "We are going to make an official announcement for our engagement – I will take care of it – and then we'll let the gossip magazines speculate wildly about the reasons for the slap. It will be good publicity."

She was confused for a second, but then understood.

"You intend to use that – to your advantage."

He smirked. "Always, Arturia."

She was a little startled. Not by the fact that he intended to turn things in his favour, but by the way he called her. She didn't know when he had gone back to using her first name instead of the formal 'Ms. Pendragon', yet she hadn't even noticed the switch.

She refused to think about it any longer, and went back to the matter of discussion once again.

"Very well, then. Is there anything else expected, 'as your wife'?"

He pondered the question, taking another sip from his coffee cup.

"The most important thing is truly being seen in public with me." Suddenly his expression changed as he focused on her completely. "As I said, appearance is what matters most. Therefore…"

She noticed how his eyes gazed at her form keenly. She was ready to launch in a verbal tirade against him if he stared at her inappropriately, but he seemed to have at least enough decency _not_ to do that.

He grinned widely, drawling out every word.

"Not that your taste in clothes is necessarily bad, but it's certainly too modest if you are going to be seen around with _me_." His gaze, firm on her face, became piercing. "I can be lenient over your everyday wear wardrobe, but you _will_ be dressed in an aesthetically much more pleasing fashion from this point forward. The wedding day is just the first of many occasions in which you will be dressed under my directives."

Her eyebrows shot high. She would be on display, yes, but she would not be a doll.

"No, I won't. This–"

But, on that, she soon found out that she was not going to be able to compromise.

"Yes, you _will_. It won't be a real wedding, but that doesn't mean that you will not dress up for the occasion." His eyes swept her form up and down once again. "I'm not asking anything unreasonable. I demand for you to dress well for the wedding, since it will be a public one."

Suddenly he grinned, and she knew she was doomed. "And as part of the marriage contract, this new thing will be added." He leaned towards her. " _You will come shopping with me._ "

...

...


	7. Contract, part 2

**A/N** : Thank you to HiddenCamellia for listening to my ideas about the dialogue in this chapter ;) and thank you so much to Jolanikati for being a wonderful beta!

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Completely confused, she could only stare at him mutely.

Before she could find her voice again to ask her question, he went on, "If I leave your choice of wardrobe to you, we will never reach any kind of agreement. Therefore, here is my condition: during the engagement period – and at least once after the marriage – you are going to come with me to buy an entirely new selection of clothes for yourself. That being said, this will also include your wedding gown."

Her eyes narrowed at him, even though she was still very much confused.

"But why should you accompany me, Gilgamesh? Do you despise my choice of clothes so much? Is it so unsuitable for your wife to dress more or less modestly?"

She probably enjoyed taunting him, but she would not enjoy it for long, because if there was anything he had recently shown he was good at, it was forcing her to face truths she did not want to acknowledge.

His reply was therefore blunt.

"That is not actually the case, Arturia. But it _is_ unsuitable for my wife to not allow herself to spend even a small amount of money on a new wardrobe – which is exactly what you would do." His tone turned to something very close to teasing. "And since money will no longer be an issue, you will be provided with clothing appropriate for the role you are going to fulfil."

She glared at him for several seconds, until her shoulders slumped slightly and she huffed indignantly.

"Anything else?" Before he could speak, she thought about something. "Regarding the living arrangements…"

He seemed to read her mind. "Speaking of that, as I mentioned, you should be aware of the fact that I have servants in the house."

She nodded curtly. Among many other things, she was going to have to get used to a very high-class style of living, and that would mean the loss of quite a few things from her former life. Perhaps she had not realized how heavy that loss was though, and she only became aware of it with his following words.

"Which means, as I expect you are aware, that you and I are going to share a bedroom and a bathroom."

She stiffened. She had very obviously not thought things through completely, if what he had just said was the truth.

"…what? _No_. That will not happen."

Gilgamesh sighed. She should have realized this sooner.

"I can only concede separated beds", he said, displeased. "I have good reasons, Arturia. As I just told you, I have servants in the house. Do you really believe they would not notice us sleeping in different rooms? The beds can be separated if you really insist upon it; but the same room is unavoidable."

He smirked at her – wasn't he doing that an awful lot on that day? "This will also make the other part of the arrangement easier."

Arturia wasn't feeling inclined to humour him.

"I said _no_ in regard to consummation, Gilgamesh."

He raised an eyebrow, amused.

"Why did you immediately assume I was talking about sex, Arturia? What if I was speaking about the wardrobe issue?"

She was unable to push down an unwanted blush as it appeared on her cheeks. This man certainly enjoyed making fun of her – even though on this subject, she _had_ jumped to conclusions too quickly.

Either way, the conclusion was the same: she was going to have to share a room with him. Great.

Could things get any _better_?

Even if she did not want to linger too much on that topic, she had to make the most of it.

"Since we will live in the same place, I have a condition to add as well. My family will have unrestricted access to the house and, as long as the media are not involved in it, I will have the right to invite whomever I want. And in my free time away from the public eye, don't ask me to be anywhere near you."

He only barely managed not to roll his eyes at that kind of demand, and went on to the following subject.

"The house doesn't have a fixed phone line, since it's bound to be more troublesome than useful; however, I have this other request – you will always have a mobile phone with you, so that we will be able to communicate more easily."

She agreed to that without difficulty.

"I do not possess a very modern phone right now but–"

He smoothly interjected, "Next time we meet to discuss things in more detail, I will bring you an adequate phone – the one you have now is not fitting."

Arturia was about to protest, but he wouldn't let her.

"I already have several phones. It's important that you have a good one as well, and I have the means of finding the best one for you quickly." He added, "And you wouldn't be able to afford it."

She would have glared at him, if his tone – for once – hadn't been completely devoid of any mockery or condescension. She had no choice but to let it slide and, looking for something to do, she took a sip of her coffee.

As he watched her do that, he noticed that the café menu was still in the middle of the table. Everything on it was in very elegant handwriting, and it was in English–

Ah. There was another matter to discuss, and he wondered why he hadn't thought about it before. It was probably the most important one, all considered.

He took a sip from his own coffee.

"There is a specific reason why I said in those rare interviews that I need a wife who is fluent in Japanese. In a few months, I will be moving to Japan."

Arturia raised both eyebrows at that and her eyes widened in alarm. But… moving to Japan…

If she was his wife, wasn't she going to have to go with him…? But–

He interrupted her thoughts. "Before reaching the wrong conclusions, wait for me to finish. While Uruk Enterprises has countless offices around the world, there are two main venues: one is in this city, and the other is in Japan. That one, since it still isn't at its full potential, needs my direct supervision. I estimate that two years should be sufficient to accomplish that."

He looked pointedly at her. "You will therefore be moving to Japan with me – and your family will come as well."

Arturia immediately relaxed. If her family was coming too, then it was fine. Besides, she was looking forward to going back to Japan. Who knew, she might even get in contact with her cousin again?

She did not notice how a brief expression of happiness crossed her features, but Gilgamesh did, and he couldn't help being somewhat captivated. She had not shown such an expression often, and on that day, not at all.

He studied her intensely before saying, "You seem happy at this perspective." It wasn't truly phrased as a question, but it was obvious that he was asking one.

She would not lie, and she even managed to produce half a smile – and it wasn't a fake one.

"I'm actually looking forward to going back to Japan."

He was somewhat confused by the statement and felt strangely compelled to enquire more.

"You lived there before?"

She nodded.

"Even though I'm not originally from there, it's where my sister and I grew up. We only moved to America four years ago, because–"

She interrupted herself abruptly, and hesitated. But she seemed to collect herself quickly, and forced herself to stretch her lips into a small smile again. This second smile, however, was decidedly fake.

Something about the look in her eyes convinced him to leave the matter be – not that he was actually _curious_ about knowing more – and he merely stared at her as she spoke again, going back to the main subject.

"We have now addressed almost everything that is expected from _me_ in this contract. I would like to know more specifics about the monetary arrangement. Especially regarding _when_ I will be able to have the money."

He looked at her thoughtfully.

"That might depend on the wedding date. It would make little sense for us to get married before your graduation. Therefore, we will get married immediately after it."

She was silent for a second, and her eyes narrowed a little.

"But you will provide money for my sister _before_ the actual wedding, am I correct?"

She was graduating in a little more than couple of months, but Iri needed treatment _immediately_. She could not afford to wait that long.

Gilgamesh gave her a brief nod.

"A deal is a deal, Arturia. I said I would give you the money to save your sister – you said you would marry me. I know I keep my end of the bargain, and I believe you to be an honourable person."

That startled her, and also confused her. Wasn't he supposed to be a clever businessman? He wouldn't just trust her word, would he?

Once again, he seemed to read her mind – or maybe, her face was simply too easy to read.

"That doesn't mean that we won't both sign the first draft of the contract before you get anything from me." Seeing the alarm appearing in her expression, he suppressed a chuckle. "And that will happen either today or within the next few days at most."

Arturia sighed in relief. If she could save Iri, then all that incredible amount of unpleasant things would be worth it.

She had to be completely certain though.

"The money you give me – it will be available immediately, I hope? It will not have need of several weeks of transfer or anything of the kind, right?"

He was a little taken aback.

"It certainly won't. Even though I may take my time in discussing a contract, I am swift in its execution. You should know that, seeing as you work at my company."

He eyed her keenly, taking in every centimetre of her tired face. "Why are you so adamant about anything concerning the money? I understand that your sister is ill, but you seem… particularly insisting on this matter."

For the first time during their whole exchange, she looked away. She didn't really want to tell Gilgamesh; but since she had agreed to marry him, she might as well come completely clean about her sister's situation.

She took a deep breath.

"My sister… she is in a coma right now."

He looked as if he had understood. "Car accident?"

She shook her head slightly. "No."

Strangely, he did not break the silence that followed. Arturia collected her thoughts, and steeled herself. She was not going to let her emotions show as she explained, her green eyes remaining firmly on the coffee cup in front of her.

"My sister's husband died around two months ago, leaving her with their young son. She has always been of a sickly constitution, and this personal loss has affected her greatly. I discovered yesterday that she is now not only very ill… she is pregnant as well."

She had no idea of the expression that was on Gilgamesh's face, and she did not intend to look up to find out. She knew she could not insist too much on the subject, or she would break down. Why had she told him so much in the first place? Why was she _continuing_ to tell him more?

"Her little boy… it's not right for him to lose his mother and his unborn sibling. Not if I can do anything about it."

She straightened and finally looked at Gilgamesh, finding his expression to be unreadable.

"I have another request about the money."

He raised an eyebrow, but did not interrupt her.

"I would like for you to establish both a trust fund and a savings account with a certain amount of money for Shirou Emiya – my sister's son. And… if everything goes well… to please establish another one once my sister's second child is born."

Gilgamesh appeared interested in the meaning of her words.

"You don't trust me to respect our agreement, and therefore intend to plan ahead?"

She looked at him and shook her head slightly, her expression determined.

"This is not a matter of trust – this is a matter regarding those children's future." Her eyes were narrowed. "I don't know how – and if – our arrangement will work out, Gilgamesh. Nothing is guaranteed in this world, so I would like to ensure a possibility for Shirou and the unborn baby to have a reasonably normal life once they grow up."

He evaluated her once again, his crimson eyes boring into her green ones, and then nodded briefly.

"Very well. I assume you would like that to be part of the earlier draft of the contract?"

She gave a nod, and he inclined his head in acceptance.

"Then you will have the funds ready within next week."

Before she could do anything more than take a breath in relief, he started talking again.

"Regarding these expenses, you should be aware of the fact that I will give you any amount of money you request and even more, and right in the moment in which you need it, but I do demand to know where exactly it ends up. You will have to give me the details of everything you intend to buy or pay for."

She shrugged, with a minimal movement.

"I do not mind this at all, Gilgamesh – it is _your_ money, after all. However… this sounds very… controlling of you."

He held her gaze impassively.

"As I said, you will have unlimited access to the money, and use it for anything you want. But I need to know where it goes after I give it to you – because if _I_ don't control what happens to it, the press will, and any kind of embezzlement or fraud could take place without me being aware of it. I will not allow that to happen."

Arturia blinked. Was he… actually showing concern about that? Ah, she should not be surprised about it. If there was anything Gilgamesh Uruk was actually attached to and genuinely fond of, it was his work and everything related to it, and that meant that the money he made was part of that, too.

Not that she minded; if she was going to marry this arrogant man, she was better off if his interest lay elsewhere.

She took another sip of her coffee, noticing that she had almost finished it but was not experiencing its effects at all. With a sigh, she put the empty cup back on the table and indicated to a passing waiter to bring her another one.

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…

They remained in the café for hours. After her black coffee, Arturia took another, ordered a light lunch and then four cups of different types of tea, while he had three boiling cups of coffee, something small to eat and – to her slight surprise – a glass of wine.

At a certain point, she took out a pen, since she always had one with her, and he grudgingly provided her with a large notepad on which she began to write down things as they decided them.

It was going to be a true, real contract.

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…

In a move uncharacteristic for her, she put her elbows on the table and rested her chin on her palms, completely oblivious to the amount of time that had passed. She was still in that position when her umpteenth cup arrived and, still staring at Gilgamesh, she took a sip immediately. She knew she was dehydrated after the previous sleepless night at the hospital.

Pensive, she spoke slowly.

"In the end… we both get bad things and good things out of this. We have to put up with each other, but you get the wife you need for show and I get the money."

She tilted her head slightly. Perhaps the coffee was finally becoming of some use, because she could see things a little more clearly. "Although it's true that I will have to endure those public moments, you will have to do the exact same thing as well. We are both going to be at the mercy of the cameras – the type of shared experience that is one of a kind, I must say."

Gilgamesh, even though he kept his expression neutral, felt some bewilderment at her words and stared at her with curiosity.

He didn't truly know the woman he was going to marry… did he? He had never seen this slightly more relaxed side of her.

She seemed to get a hold of herself the moment he had that thought. Mentally cursing her sleep deprivation that was _completely_ at fault for that slip, she schooled her expression back into her usual one. She was speaking with the man she was going to get married to, the stranger she was going to share a bedroom with–

About that…

"It's inevitable that we sleep in the same bedroom, and I recognise that it can't be helped. However, you will respect my privacy… as I will respect yours, Gilgamesh." To make sure her point came across, she emphasized, "That means, for example, that you will not go through my things, as I will not go through yours."

He looked both bored and amused at that, and his reply proved it.

"Well, I will _buy_ most of your things, so I don't really see a problem–"

She interrupted him brusquely. "No!"

He could not help finding her vehemence to be intriguing.

"Privacy is important, Gilgamesh. Even if you don't seem to understand it, have at least the decency to respect it!"

He lifted an eyebrow. So much intensity for such a minor and inconsequential thing? If that was all…

"While it's quite insulting how you seem convinced that I possess no honour, rest assured that your 'side of the room' will remain entirely yours."

His tone was quite sarcastic, and she replied to it only with a glare. Staring at him, she noticed that he actually looked different in the light. She frowned and looked around – how long had they been there? How late was it already?

He took notice of that, too, and stood up, putting on his coat. She stood as well, taking up the notepad and handing to Gilgamesh one copy of what she had written, because she had had the foresight to write down everything twice.

He, however, refused to take his copy unless both of them signed those first drafts of the contract. Nevertheless, when she took up the pen to do that, Arturia hesitated.

Even after hours of discussing many matters quite in detail, she didn't feel safe. She knew there were certainly things – many things – that they had forgotten to address. But she couldn't think about them at the moment; she was tired, couldn't concentrate enough and they simply weren't coming to mind.

And she suddenly found the simplest of solutions to that problem.

"Gilgamesh… I want to add a clause to the contract. Not only for this draft, but permanently."

He stared at her – well, _continued_ to stare at her, since he hadn't looked away from her the entire time.

"We will write in it that, provided we both agree willingly, in the future, we will have the possibility to make modifications, revisions and additions to the contract. That is because it's impossible for us to have thought of _everything_ … and we should therefore have the right to change things in the future."

Gilgamesh continued to stare at her, his look penetrating, not saying a word for quite some time. Arturia decided, for once, to let the silence stretch and convince herself that it wasn't an uncomfortable one.

Eventually, he nodded briefly.

"Very well. As long as we both wish for it, it will be possible to legally make changes to the contract."

Even though she made sure it was not too apparent, Arturia felt herself relaxing. At least she wouldn't trap herself completely…

…and then, as her pen moved swiftly on the paper, she tensed again. She would need him to agree to every change she wanted to make–

Feeling a migraine coming up, she fought the impulse to reach up and rub her temples.

First things first. She would figure it all out, one step at a time.

He suddenly smirked, and she tensed once again, having just finished to add that last point before signing the draft.

"For my part, I'm quite confident that the change will be about the sexual arrangement."

His smirk only widened at her obvious, irritated discomfort, which made it impossible for her to reply right away.

"Oh yes, it will be about the sexual arrangements…" she spat after a few seconds. "And it will be to issue a restraining order for those delusional thoughts of yours."

She did not bother to observe his reaction and handed him the pen, so that he could sign as well. As soon as both copies were signed, he gave her the pen back and then disdainfully motioned for one of the waiters to come over with the bill.

Arturia reached for her bag, but she did not have the time to do anything before Gilgamesh paid for both their expenses. She raised an eyebrow. She usually paid for her own part the extremely rare times she went out, and she opened her mouth to protest.

But the look he gave her did not allow her to speak, and he dismissed her curtly.

"Don't try to pull the pride stunt _now_ , Arturia. After the monetary arrangement we just made, you can hardly argue over such a small sum."

Swallowing her words and her anger, she was forced to let him do as he pleased. He was a very conceited person in looking down on her in such a way, but she could not deny the truth of what he had said, as much as she hated to admit it.

But his smirk, in place again, told her that he knew… he knew, and he was smug about it.

That _jerk_.

The next instant, however, she had to blink as he casually put a piece of paper in her hand. It was a check. She had never seen such a large number written on a check though.

"Consider it some kind of deposit if you wish," came his voice as he walked past her to go towards the exit. "Make sure not to lose it though."

She blinked again and quickly recollected herself, putting it inside her bag a little bewildered, before narrowing her eyes. It was easy for him to hand out money like that; he was rich after all.

At the door, he stopped to hold it open for her, and she did her best not to show any reaction at all. It wasn't that difficult, since she wasn't entirely sure about what she was feeling towards his uncharacteristic gentlemanly gesture. Was she irritated? Exasperated? Flattered? Ah, who knew. She was too tired to analyze it properly, and to be honest, it didn't really matter.

Right outside, she turned to face him again, and he gave her another of his annoying smirks. He never seemed to run out of them.

"I will see you tomorrow, Arturia."

She stared at him in slight confusion. The following day? Did he mean…?

Sudden realization dawned on her. Did he mean _at work_?

Her eyes searched his, and she spoke what was on her mind.

"I assumed… after what happened yesterday… that you had fired me. And if you didn't, I think that… with this marriage contract…"

He tilted his head to the side, a somewhat cold expression in his blood red eyes, and shook his head slightly.

"I don't intend to get rid of capable and reliable employees, Arturia. We will have to work out a schedule for your part-time to become more regular, and after moving to Japan there will have to be other variations. But that will all be done in due time." Another flicker of a smirk. "After work tomorrow, we will continue discussing the contract. We are supposed to be already engaged now, so remember to look the part."

Arturia was too spent to argue anymore, but she did not like the way he decided for the both of them. Even though his praise – which told her that he was satisfied with her work – had taken her aback, she could not overlook it: he had not _asked_ her, he had informed her of what he had already decided. On his own.

She made a mental note about it: once she was a little more in her wits, she would make sure he understood it. She would _not_ allow the man to continue with his commanding ways, _especially_ since she was going to marry him.

Therefore, she only gave a short nod. His smirk appeared once again, and he came closer to her, an arrogantly pleased expression on his face.

"In the end…" one of his hands reached out, lightly grasping a strand of her hair and playing with it absent-mindedly, "…you will marry me after all."

His expression was smug, and in that moment, Arturia felt fury invading every fibre of her being, pushing away every other thought.

Abruptly, she grabbed his tie and, taking him by complete surprise, pulled him down to her eye level.

"Trust my every word, Gilgamesh: if I wasn't in this life or death situation, I would _never_ come close to you. No sane human being would ever agree to marry you."

His eyes narrowed, but he did not try to break free from her forceful grip and actually seemed mildly entertained.

"Should I then consider myself lucky or unlucky since, according to what you just said, I am apparently marrying someone insane?"

She was at the end of her patience, having spent the whole day discussing with him, and the knowledge that she would have to – that she had _chosen_ to – marry this man was sinking in at last.

Therefore, she finally allowed all her frustration and rage to take over, and directed him the most deadly glare she was capable of producing.

"Never forget… you are for me what I am for you, Gilgamesh Uruk: _a means to an end_ … nothing more, nothing less."

She released him, taking a step back. "I will see you tomorrow at work."

She turned around and strode away without looking back.

…

*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*

…

As she walked down the stairs to the subway – it was the fastest way to reach the hospital – Arturia's mind felt actually difficult to sort out.

She was relieved, no question about that. Her sister would soon be out of danger.

Gilgamesh had already given her some money, and it would help her once she spoke with the head medic of the hospital about Iri. It was good that he had given her the check.

He had not been _that_ arrogant, after all. Maybe, there was hope for a peaceful cohabit–

Who was she trying to fool. She was talking about _Gilgamesh Uruk_.

Her fate with him had been sealed the moment they had agreed to make a contract. She was doomed.

Heart heavy, she stepped on the train that had finally arrived, to go back to her family. It was already quite late, and she was going to have extra lessons the following morning at campus before work, but she had spent the whole day outside talking with Gilgamesh… at the very least, she had to see little Shirou before it was time for him to go to bed.

Looking at her bag, Arturia took a deep breath.

She had money in her hand, on the same day she had set out to find some. She had made it.

It did not matter that she had basically sold her freedom for it.

It really did not matter. At all.

This was fine.

...

...


	8. Talks

…

…

...

...

The following morning, Gilgamesh was still furious.

That woman…! Why, why on earth had he ever thought that she would be a suitable choice?!

He knew that, after what they had decided, she was going to be more outspoken with him, but this was ridiculous.

He was actually glad that the former evening, right before leaving, she had not held his gaze long enough to have the time to observe his reaction – after speaking to him in such a contemptuous manner – because he knew that he would not have accepted it if she, of all people, saw how much her words had affected him.

She had not said anything that he didn't know, after all: she had simply told him that he was a means to an end for her. That was what she was for him, too, and there was nothing particularly strange in that.

Then… why were those words regularly coming up in his thoughts…?

It was preposterously pathetic. Unnerved, he firmly shut them out of his brain.

That woman – or rather, _Arturia_ , his _fiancée_ – was going to have work only in the afternoon, therefore he would not see her until then. He had a mildly important meeting in the morning, and then he would have to prepare a carefully worded announcement for the press conference on his engagement. He was going to have to tell them the wedding date, and that was something else he needed to discuss with Arturia, since he did not know when exactly she was going to graduate.

"Gil~! Good morning!"

Not even bothering to turn around, Gilgamesh straightened in his seat a little and took a sip from his so far untouched coffee, glancing at the first page of the morning newspaper.

"Good morning, Enkidu," he replied, seraphic.

His best friend swung himself in the chair in front of his desk, his usual grin in place. Green hair flowing mesmerizingly behind him, he stared at Gilgamesh eagerly, yellow-grey eyes curious and ready.

When Gilgamesh did not say anything, Enkidu sighed impatiently.

"So, Gil, tell me. What did you and Ria have to talk about that took so much time yesterday? You didn't even contact me later! I could actually say that it was rather _inconsiderate_ of you~"

Unfazed, Gilgamesh turned a page. "I don't have the faintest idea of what you mean."

Enkidu frowned before rolling his eyes.

"Nice play there, Gil~. Of _course_ you understand me. Remember Ria? _Arturia_ Pendragon, early twenties, blonde hair, green eyes, fair complexion, majoring in economics and business, very dedicated to her family and the type who doesn't take arrogance from anyone – especially not from _you_." He leaned forward attempting – and managing – to poke Gilgamesh in the forehead. "Also, she's someone who has been around a lot recently~…"

The blond man smirked before casually closing the newspaper.

"Ah, yes, my _lovely_ Arturia. I am getting married to her in less than three months."

Enkidu stared at him, for once mute and with a completely dumbfounded look in his eyes. Gilgamesh enjoyed it far more in the present occasion rather than two days before, when his best friend had been rendered silent after the same woman had _slapped_ him.

Finishing his coffee, the head of Uruk Enterprises stood up, putting the newspaper on the pile of already read ones and hanging his suit jacket up on a coat hook.

He went back to sit at his desk, flipping through the large pile of documents that awaited his inspection, before looking up at his friend.

"Enkidu, unless you intend to become a permanent addition to the décor of the room, I suggest you go take care of your own paperwork before the meeting."

Enkidu finally seemed to come out of his daze and narrowed his eyes, completely ignoring that last sentence. He knew that Gilgamesh would not lie to him, especially not about something like marriage, which had been quite the sensitive subject in the past half-a-year.

"Gil, something is _slightly_ wrong here. I clearly remember Ria giving you a hard slap the other day, _in public_. What did you do to make her suddenly accept to become your wife? Did you pay her or something?"

Almost rolling his eyes, Gilgamesh simply nodded. "More or less."

He then glanced at the clock before resuming flipping through the pages of the documents in front of him.

"I hope you have a fresh selection of suits ready for the wedding, Enkidu. I expect you to be my best man."

He then raised a hand to stop the flood of questions that was no doubt about to submerge him and indicated the door.

"Not now. We'll talk at dinner."

Enkidu was persistent though, and his eyes narrowed even more. "Gil…"

But the blond man only smirked, for once having outsmarted his green-haired best friend.

…

*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*

…

As soon as work was over, Arturia intended to go ask at the reception desk where Gilgamesh's office was. She did not know its location because she had never been there before, but she knew that he usually worked much longer than his employees.

She discovered however that it was not necessary for her to worry about that at all, as she found him right outside her own office when her hours were finished. He gave her a nod and made a strange movement, as if intending to take her hand.

Instinctively, Arturia tried to move away from him, but he saw it and grasped her arm swiftly.

Leaning down so that his lips were next to her ear, he murmured in a low voice, "There are still other people in the offices at this hour. You have to play your part, and unless you want to practice public kissing right now, I would recommend letting me take your hand."

Hitting herself mentally for her reaction, Arturia slipped her small hand into his larger one and followed his lead. She made a point to ignore the stares that increased in frequency as they strode through the corridors, instead concentrating on the unfamiliar route they were taking.

The exit was not in that direction, so where were they going…?

She had her answer when they found themselves in a very neat and classy room, from which Gilgamesh took his suit jacket. Eyes wide, she looked around in wonder, and he smirked briefly at her amazement.

"It was wise to bring you to my office before the engagement is actually announced. Such a raptured expression would hardly be appropriate in front of the cameras."

She threw him a dirty look. She most certainly was not 'raptured'; she was simply taken aback by the sheer elegance of the room. She was also quite surprised by the fact that it wasn't unnecessarily sumptuous or opulent; it was… of true good taste.

Not that she would ever tell him that, of course.

Gilgamesh cleared his throat almost unnoticeably.

"We are going now, Arturia."

She glared at him, her expression unusually cold.

"I overlooked this yesterday, but I won't do the same today. I am not an object nor am I someone you can order around, Gilgamesh. And especially because we are going to get married, make the effort of recognizing that there are _two_ people in a marriage, and therefore decisions have to be made _together_."

Their eyes clashed, firm green on unreadable crimson, until he heaved a small sigh.

"Fine. Then, Arturia, _shall we go now?_ "

Her steady expression did not change as she walked past him.

"Was that so hard to say, _Gilgamesh_?"

It was his turn to glare as he followed her out of the building.

…

*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*

…

She had had the whole night to think things through, mainly about the contract, but about everything else as well.

After spending some time with Shirou until he peacefully fell asleep in her lap – and feeling guilty about not having been there with him during the day – Arturia had gone to speak with the head medic of the hospital. They had talked at length, and the doctor had made sure that the medicines and the equipment needed – which were very expensive because of the uncertainty of Iri's conditions and her pregnancy – would be provided as soon as possible, since it was now possible to pay for them.

Much relieved about the whole matter, Arturia had glanced at the clock and decided it was too late to head back to the apartment. She had therefore spent the night at the hospital, waking Shirou up with the usual kiss to the forehead in the morning before leaving to finally have a shower, change her clothes and attend the extra lessons about the material of her thesis. The shock and fear for her sister had just calmed down; she consequently tried to go through her usual routine, albeit feeling a bit mechanical and numb.

It had been a useless effort though, because her head simply could not get into what was being explained. She kept thinking about her future duties, as it began to dawn on her how much her life was going to change. Even there, at campus, things would no longer be the same once it was going to be revealed that she was engaged to one of the most influential people on the planet; not to mention, one who was also a campus trustee.

Those, however, were things she was prepared to deal with. All she had to do was complete a little more than two months there at the college, before finally graduating and–

–and getting married.

Right.

She had that thought on her mind even as she sat down in a very stylish but discreet café of Gilgamesh's choice, not too far from the offices. As irony warranted, it was actually the first subject he addressed.

His smirk in place, he began, "Well, dear fiancée, what date would be appropriate for the wedding?"

As she only stared back at him blankly, he sighed, and elaborated, "Tomorrow our engagement will be made known to the public. It's for the best if the wedding date is announced on the same occasion as well."

She remained lost in her thoughts for a while, her expression not betraying anything. Given the length of the silence, Gilgamesh wondered if she had actually comprehended what he had said, but she broke out of her trance before he could enquire about it.

"My graduation is in the first half of June, even though I still don't know the exact day. Therefore, I would suggest a date during the last week of the same month, so that by the beginning of July we can move to Japan. Is that acceptable?"

He nodded, and it was settled to hold the ceremony on the last Tuesday of June.

"Very well. Starting tomorrow, we will be officially engaged. That means that the press's attention will be all over this for the following weeks, and we have to make sure that we see each other as much as possible, to both keep up appearances and feed something to the media. That also means," and he reached into the pocket of his coat, "that you are expected to wear _this_."

He was holding a small black box. Realizing what that meant, Arturia cursed internally. Yet another thing she had forgotten to consider. Resigned to her fate, she extended her hand to take the box… but he wouldn't let her.

Carefully, he opened it, allowing her to admire the splendid jewel inside it. It was a small, fancy golden ring with a large red ruby in the middle. It was certainly a beautiful piece of jewellery, but the only thing that Arturia cared about was that it wouldn't hinder her movements. And to her relief, while it was hardly discreet, it appeared to not be _too_ showy to wear.

Before she could decide on the best course of action, the ring was on his palm and he was looking her in the eye.

"Allow me."

Taking her left hand, he slid the golden band on her ring finger. It was a perfect fit and it did not seem to be a hindrance in any way.

For about a second, they both stared at it wordlessly. Then, as if nothing had happened, they resumed their conversation.

He reached into his pocket once more, and took out a mobile phone.

"This is yours, too. There are already my personal number and my work number stored – although I prefer you use the personal one."

She took it with a nod of acceptance, but with some hesitance nonetheless. She was no expert about technological devices, but even she was able to recognize that the item she was holding in her hand was extremely expensive.

A wave of guilt washed over her. She knew he could definitely afford what he was spending, but she could not say she felt comfortable about the insane amount of money of his that was being used because of her.

His crimson eyes had not left her face for an instant, and it did not take him much imagination to guess her thoughts. He was deeply amused.

Leaning forward in his seat, he inclined his head to the side a little.

"You… are feeling _guilty_?"

She did not reply, even though an answer wasn't actually needed, as her face told him more than enough.

He chuckled. Marrying the woman in front of him might prove to be truly entertaining.

"All this discussion about the terms of the contract, knowing that it's nothing more than a slightly convoluted business arrangement, and you are having second thoughts?"

She glared at him, pressing her hands together in anger and accidentally brushing against her ring.

"That is not the case, Gilgamesh. I would do this all again if I had a choice."

He raised an eyebrow, and she prevented him from asking his obvious question by continuing, "The thing that is bothering me is that you expect me to be happy about all this."

He waited, knowing that there was more. Her sigh was almost imperceptible.

"This is not what a marriage should be. I am basically selling myself to have money, and you are using me as a trophy wife."

Seeing his almost _offended_ expression, she very nearly rolled her eyes.

"I don't mean it in the sense that you are _old_ and marrying someone much younger to prove your youth, Gilgamesh – that's not the case here. But you are certainly only marrying me to show off the fact that you have 'a stable private life'," she finished sarcastically. "This marriage is wrong… and yet, we both agreed to it."

He was harsh in his reply, for everything she had just stated was rather obvious, and the look in his eyes was frosty.

"If you can't deal with a life of deception, you shouldn't have come to ask me if my proposal was still standing, Arturia."

Feeling as if she had been chastised, she glared up at him, fiercely. Her tone was equally cold.

"I never said that I can't do that, _Gilgamesh_. I was perfectly aware of what I was agreeing to do when I decided to inquire about getting married."

There was a short pause. "The only thing that I'm saying is that you can't ask me to _like_ what we agreed to do. The decision is made and I would make it again – but that doesn't mean that it's a pleasant one. Circumstances forced this situation to happen; it was not something in which we truly had a choice." Her eyes were sharp on him. "If it were for your own inclination, you would never have decided to get married in the first place, Gilgamesh, and you are perfectly aware of that."

Although her words enticed him, he was too used to keeping his emotions from showing on his face to be affected, at least outwardly.

"You can use all the pretty words you wish, Arturia, but it's quite pointless for you to feel guilty about spending my money. It's what we _agreed on_ , after all."

He leaned back in the chair. "However, since you brought it up, as part of the arrangement, I will remind you that I have to be informed about what you did with the money I gave you yesterday."

She told him about the things she had settled with the head doctor of the hospital, and then continued, "Speaking of hospital matters, Gilgamesh, since you pointed out that we will have to see each other quite often, it's necessary that you come with me to visit my family sooner or later. You will have to be seen with me, after all, and I will spend quite some time at the hospital."

She had thought about the subject and, thinking she understood his raised eyebrow, she sighed and went on, "It's not mandatory for you to come inside the building with me, but on days in which we both have work, know that I will spend the rest of the time with my sister and my nephew. And if we have to see each other as well, it can only be if you accompany me there."

He did not seem thrilled at the prospect, but at least he didn't protest.

"I suppose it's unavoidable."

She sent another glare in his direction. The man she was talking to was seriously insufferable.

They were already on a subject she wanted to emphasize, therefore she pushed away her irritation and insisted, "Be reminded of this, Gilgamesh: I will be your wife for display but, as I asked yesterday – _keep my family away from all this_. You are one of the richest businessmen in the world; I know you have the means to do this. Keep them safe from the disarray the press can cause."

Her green eyes were filled with even more emotion than usual, and she held his gaze steadfastly. He only gave her a short, small nod, but she seemed to relax at that.

He smirked slightly as his eyes lingered on her.

"Your family will not be on display as you will be, Arturia, but know that you will be kept away from the most brutal onslaught of media attention as well. That being said, however, the best way to actually keep the press from becoming too invasive is feeding them some things – so participating in public events is a requirement. And as we decided yesterday, in public we will have to appear not only at least _friendly_ with each other, but we will have to kiss as well."

Quite shamelessly, his eyes travelled over her features and stopped on her lips. His smirk widened. "How about a little practice to make it look more convincing?"

Ice dripped from her every word as she replied, "Let _me_ remind _you_ about what we agreed on yesterday – we said that kissing would only happen in public and when there is _a valid reason for it_. And do not," she all but snarled, "do _not_ give me that nonsense of wanting to _rehearse_."

She was probably too amusing for her own good, Gilgamesh decided. She seemed to take everything he said as an excuse to become confrontational, something he had already pointed out the day before.

There was nothing wrong in insisting on it once again.

"Are you truly incapable of having a conversation without turning it into an onslaught of fire and flames, Arturia?"

But she was neither fazed nor intimidated, and only shot back, "Once you'll stop lighting the matches with every arrogant word that escapes your lips, I will consider it."

Quite strangely, he felt internally conflicted. One part of him was amused by her reply; another part was annoyed yet intrigued by how she did not seem to ever back down in front of him; and the last part… he couldn't exactly understand it. It certainly wasn't angry, nor was it entertained. It was feeling somewhat… injured.

How ridiculous. It was certainly nothing of the sort, and it was probably the long day that had made him think something as ludicrous as that.

He brought his attention back to the woman in front of him, his smirk in place once again. Surprising him, however, _she_ was the one who went back to the previous matter of discussion.

"In any case, Gilgamesh, kissing in public should be limited."

She shook her head to stop his protests that were no doubt about to follow, and continued, "Our objective is to play the part of the happy couple convincingly, and in public, every action is likely to be monitored closely. Therefore, too much affection would appear fake, while too little, especially at the beginning, would be attributed to shyness in front of the press. Much more credible, wouldn't you agree?"

She directed quite a sassy smirk of her own at him, perfectly aware of the fact that she had proven a good point.

He narrowed his eyes. She thought she had him, didn't she? Well, she thought wrong.

"Much more credible – at the beginning _only_ , Arturia. And since the press is going to be around starting tomorrow and there are much less than three months before the wedding, how long do you think it would take for you to get over your _shyness_?"

To his slight chagrin, she was only a little startled.

"It will have to be a gradual process, Gilgamesh. And you will have to be believable, by remaining next to me in public most of the time. I'm sure you were not looking forward to this, but it's all for the sake of credibility."

The expression she had was such as to highly tempt him into glaring at her.

But before he could do that, she went on, "When we are in public together, it would be for the best if we speak to each other, and that means that we should always have something easy and safe we can talk about."

Gilgamesh only seemed amused again, and arched an eyebrow teasingly.

"Suggestions?"

She rolled her eyes, holding back an exasperated sigh.

"Seriously, do I have to ask about your favourite colour to keep the conversation going between us without a quarrel?"

His raised eyebrow went even higher.

"I very much doubt that that would even make for a conversation. It's a simple question, which requires a simple answer – not enough for a decent dialogue."

She raised an eyebrow as well.

"Are you saying you would be unable to take a simple question and sew an elaborated reply that would in turn prompt me to find an equally particularised response, which would end up in a long and complex conversation?"

Gilgamesh seemed slightly taken aback, but he managed to maintain his signature smirk nonetheless.

"I don't believe you incapable of making the conversations interesting enough with a worthy premise, but without that, it would dull out immediately."

She narrowed her eyes.

"For example, what about _now_? We are talking about finding something to talk about… and it's already becoming a conversation."

He only chuckled, amused in spite of himself.

"Very well. I believe we will be able to find subjects of conversation easily enough without needing to decide them."

No longer holding back her exasperated sigh, she then turned thoughtful.

"We would end up quarrelling if we don't plan a few conversations."

He did not look impressed.

"That is debatable, Arturia."

Her expression was both skeptical… and deadpan.

"I will maintain my opinion until we manage to prove the opposite."

His eyebrows rose again. It was getting ridiculous.

"So you are saying that we would be unable to hold a conversation in public without discussing?"

Her gaze was unflinching.

"Yes, I am." She immediately continued, "That is why I would like to add this to the contract – we will not discuss or make scenes in public. The one from the other day was more than enough."

Gilgamesh was silent for a few moments, seemingly weighing her words.

Then, slowly and with a new smirk creeping on his face, he said, "This request is reasonable and it will be written in the contract. And for conversations in public… they should not present an issue, since you are capable of holding one. About the subject of discussion, the most mundane ones can become interesting through the ability of the orator. You seem, sometimes at least, to be one such person. Therefore, commenting works of literature or something of the kind could be acceptable… assuming you have enough knowledge to do that."

Arturia glared at him. How he managed to say what seemed to be a compliment and then, immediately afterwards, turn it around to be an insult, was beyond her. And to top it off, he seemed to be completely unaware of the fact that he had been offensive, too.

He was not done speaking, though. "To sum up what has been decided, sooner or later we will kiss in public but, as you insist on it, it will be a _gradual process_." He gave her a searching look. "Close body contact is the first step, and then probably the use of terms of endearment."

Her eyes looked like green ice cubes.

"I am not going beyond 'dear', and that will already sound fake."

He felt amused once again, and he briefly wondered about how many times he had felt amusement when in her presence. He dismissed the thought swiftly.

"I have not yet something specific in mind; each situation will ask for a different line of conduct, so I am sure we will simply have to adapt to it, Arturia."

He glanced at the clock. More time had passed than he had expected; if he wanted to make it to dinner with Enkidu, he had to leave. Besides, they had already talked about several matters on this day.

He stood up, paying the bill for their expenses at the café, and took his suit jacket once again.

"I will meet Enkidu for dinner in a brief while. I will inform him of our contractual agreement, and we will then make sure the public announcement is prepared for tomorrow. I highly recommend," and he gave her a pointed look, "to remain indoors and avoid being seen outside tomorrow. The press's reaction can be unpredictable."

Standing up as well, she nodded.

"That's perfectly reasonable."

She put on her coat, noticing how it was getting a little too warm outside for it. She was going to need a change of wardrobe, sooner rather than later, but it was not the right time to think about that.

Looking outside and noticing with worry that it was already getting dark, she said, "I assume you will contact me through the new phone for the next meeting. I will go to the hospital now."

Gilgamesh stared at her in silence, suddenly feeling a completely unanticipated hesitation. There was no daylight anymore, and she – his supposed fiancée – was heading to the hospital on her own. Perhaps…

He cleared his throat a little.

"Arturia, I should probably accom–"

"No," she interjected, as if reading his mind. "Not this time. I have to talk to my nephew first, before he ever meets you. And you will be late for your dinner. Please give Enkidu my regards."

With a short nod in parting, she left the café.

Without any complications, she reached the hospital, finding out – to both her disappointment and relief – that Shirou had already fallen asleep. There was no change in her sister's conditions, but the doctors assured her that some of the medicines were already going to arrive on the following day.

It was once again too late to leave the hospital and go back to the apartment, so Arturia opted for spending the night on the uncomfortable chairs outside her sister's room. However, the nurses did not allow that; knowing that Irisviel would remain in that room for a while, they brought her a sofa that could be made into a bed, ensuring that Arturia could sleep close to her family. The blonde woman thanked them warmly for their kindness.

As soon as she lay down and closed her eyes, her thoughts went back to the events of the day, making her sigh mentally.

The fact that she was about to get married hadn't fully sunk in yet. It was probably for the best, she mused; because of that, she had been – and would be – able to somewhat remain rational when dealing with her future husband.

If she looked at it all from an outsider's perspective, well, it could appear quite pitiful.

She had a beloved sister who was lying unconscious in a hospital bed, she was in her last year of college, and she was now engaged to an egotistical jerk.

Even if all the luck in the world turned against her, how much worse could her life actually become?

With that thought on her mind, Arturia strangely drifted off into the most peaceful sleep she had had ever since the day Gilgamesh Uruk had proposed to her.

...

...


	9. Announcement

…

…

...

...

Arturia knew that the following day was going to be a long one. She had to explain to her family – at least to her _conscious_ family – who Gilgamesh was and why he was important, especially since sooner or later he was going to come with her to visit them.

She firmly pushed that kind of thoughts out of her mind.

Her sister was safe and that was all that mattered. The rest of the worries and predicaments she had created with a certain businessman… well, she would deal with them, in due time.

Gilgamesh was an arrogant and proud person, and soon, she was going to be his wife.

Before she could begin to doubt herself once more, her voice of reason intervened. Gilgamesh was a person who did not make promises often but, when he did, she was aware of the fact that he kept them; and while he wasn't _that_ pleasant of a person, he did seem to have some strange form of honour that he held himself to.

Enkidu, whom she knew a little better than her fiancée, was a very friendly person and was also Gilgamesh's best friend. Arturia was quite certain of the fact that Gilgamesh had neither paid nor blackmailed him to be that, therefore that had to mean that, as impossible as it seemed, the man she was going to marry had to have _some_ redeeming qualities.

Or maybe she was just trying to reassure herself because she had no choice but to get married to him…

There was no definite way to know for sure; all she knew was that she was going to have to see before she believed and convinced herself of the fact that she hadn't made a grave mistake in tying herself to him.

There was no doubt that she was freaking out now. She could feel the anxiety creeping up in her chest, but she knew she would have to deal with the consequences of the choice she had made.

And she would. As she had already decided, one step at a time.

…

*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*

…

Waking up Shirou and telling him with a smile – a real one – that his mother was going to be better soon was the easy part. There were many, many, _many_ other things she still had to tell him, and _that_ was the hard part.

As soon as the boy had calmed down from the happy morning news and got dressed, Arturia decided to begin to address the several things she had to. She would have preferred to take a stroll in the park to talk with her nephew, but she had to remember that Gilgamesh was going to announce their engagement on that very day, and he had warned her not to go outdoors. She doubted it was a truly necessary precaution, but they had agreed on it, and she intended to honour their agreement.

The first thing to do was give the boy her new phone number. Arturia gave him a piece of paper where it was written on to use as bookmark for the books he read – the avid reader he was, much like herself – but she also made him learn it by heart. She gave the number to the hospital staff too; even though she would never have admitted it to Gilgamesh, she was reluctantly glad about having a new phone, because her old one had been just about to break, given its poor quality.

After making sure that her new number was given to all the people who needed to know it, Arturia decided to play a little with Shirou before telling him of her engagement. He had been three days in a hospital, knowing that his mother was ill and with only the nurses around to keep him company; he deserved a little relaxation.

There were always some children's games in the recreational area of the hospital, and she brought a few in the room where Iri was, to play a puzzle memory game with her nephew.

They were both quite engrossed in the small game, at least until Shirou leaned forward to take a card from her hand and brushed against her knuckles inadvertently.

The knuckles of her left hand.

Arturia steeled herself internally as they boy's eyes looked at her ring and then at her with some confusion.

"Auntie Ria? Why do you have a ring?"

She never wore jewels, usually; of course he was going to notice the fancy article on her finger. With a small, unnoticeable sigh, she put down the cards of the game and looked him in the eye.

"Shirou… this is not a normal ring. It's an engagement ring." Her green eyes did not flicker. "I'm getting married soon."

Shirou was silent. He brought his gaze to the ring again, still without saying a word, and stared at it for several seconds.

As his eyes finally rose to meet hers – in the most complete stillness of the room – Arturia was however dismayed to find them full of distress and tears he was barely fighting back.

Her nephew was brave though. He held back – she didn't even know _what_ he was holding back – and he murmured, "…married?"

His tone was strangely undefinable. It was as if he hoped that what he had heard wasn't true.

With some wariness, Arturia confirmed, "Yes."

He stood up abruptly.

"I need to go to the bathroom."

She narrowed her eyes. What was going on with him? Gently but very firmly, she stopped him by taking his arm.

"Shirou, please tell me what's wrong."

He had never refused her requests, and did not struggle to get free from her hold, but he did not meet her eyes.

"Auntie Ria– you–…" He took a shaky breath. "You are leaving, aren't you?"

It was barely above a whisper, but for Arturia, it was even too loud.

"What? No, I'm most certainly _not_ ," she immediately replied. Finally understanding his reaction, she continued softly, "Shirou, I'm not leaving at all. I am only getting married… which simply means," she added, realizing it herself for the first time, "that you will get an uncle."

It felt wrong to say such words. She was getting married as fulfilment of a financial agreement; her husband would _never_ be a true uncle to the little boy. But, even if he was intelligent and observant, Shirou was still young, and Arturia was not going to go into the details of the complicated arrangement. It was much better – not to mention, safer – to simply tell him that Gilgamesh would become his new uncle, something that was actually the truth when seen in a legal light.

Shirou gave her a somewhat searching look, sharper than his age suggested. He trusted his aunt, but he could not stop himself from asking, "You're _really_ not leaving?"

She nodded firmly. She would not tell him the whole truth, but she would make things clear.

"I'm really not. It's true that, once mommy is well enough to leave the hospital, I won't live with you two anymore, but you are and will remain the most important people in my life. Even though my official house will be a different one, it doesn't mean that I won't spend a lot of time with you. So no, I'm not leaving."

The little boy relaxed and gave a bright smile.

"Thank you, Auntie Ria!" Eyes full of curiosity, he went on, "So, you will be… a bride?"

Arturia could not suppress her small smile at witnessing his excitement, even though internally she didn't feel like smiling at all. She did not intend to insist on the subject.

"In a few months, yes, I will be." She leaned forward and, with the gesture that had become a habit for them, kissed his forehead lightly before giving him another small smile. "In any case, it's not time to worry about that. Let's go back to the game; we still have to determine who will win this round."

However, Shirou looked a little apologetic.

"Sorry, Auntie Ria, but, um, I _truly_ need to go to the bathroom."

…

*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*

…

After finishing the memory game and going to the hospital playroom to look for different entertainments, Arturia allowed Shirou to remain there playing with other kids while she went to speak with the doctors, since the head medic had told her that a part of the medicines for her sister was going to arrive on that day.

She also needed to retrieve Iri and Shirou's documents to begin to fill in the paperwork for the long procedure of moving abroad. It was early, that was true, but it was never too early to plan ahead.

She had just arrived at the reception desk, intending to inquire after what she needed, but she had not expected the scene she found. The three nurses there were quite interested in following the news that were flashing across the television screen in the entrance hall. And, exactly as Arturia was passing by, there was the 'celebrity section' being broadcasted.

That was just great.

It was too late to leave the room without getting attention on herself, and what the broadcaster was saying held her attention more than she was willing to admit. They were proclaiming that the richest and most successful businessman in the world, Gilgamesh Uruk, had just shocked everyone by announcing his engagement on that very day.

Wonderful. Absolutely wonderful.

The best thing to do was get the folder with her sister's files and then go back to her room immediately; maybe it would be wise pick up Shirou and take him back to his mother's room, too.

Resolutely, she reached the front desk and cleared her throat, making the three nurses snap their heads away from the television to look at her and give her more than just their initial, distracted attention.

"I need patient Irisviel von Einzbern's documentation, please."

Since she was a frequent presence there at the hospital, the nurses knew her, and they took out the required papers without difficulties and presented them to her. Arturia extended her hand to take them.

"Here you go, Ms. Pendrag–"

Exactly in that moment, the broadcaster boomed in the background, _"–and his fiancée is one Arturia Pendragon, who wasn't present at the announcement and whose identity is therefore still a mystery for everyone–_ "

Three pairs of eyes darted towards her, and the nurse who was closest to her stifled an exclamation as her gaze fell on the sophisticated ring on Arturia's finger.

The blonde woman cursed internally. She had taken the documents with her left hand. How could she have been so careless?

Well, the damage had been done, and it wasn't like she could keep her engagement a secret forever.

Therefore, she forced herself to produce a normal expression and gave a nod to the three wide-eyed women.

"Thank you very much."

She turned around and walked out of there, feeling the stares follow her and burn into her back, but she did not allow them to bother her.

She _knew_ that she was going to marry Gilgamesh, after all. She _knew_ that she was going to receive a lot of unwanted attention. She _knew_ that people were going to stare, talk and whisper behind her back.

She knew all that, as she had agreed to it for her sister's sake.

And she didn't regret it.

…

*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*

…

A couple of hours later, Arturia found herself dealing with Shirou's second milk tooth falling. She wasn't completely sure how she felt about it; on one hand, she was disconcerted since her nephew was still very young; on the other, she was saddened that Iri – Shirou's mother – was not there to be part of those small, perhaps meaningless, but still important steps forward in his life.

However, Arturia could not deny that the episode actually made her glad in more than one way, because it gave her a sense of _normalcy_ in the midst of all the chaotic events that were going to happen in regards to her engagement.

As she was then doing some mathematics with Shirou – asking him to make complicated sums and subtractions mentally – her new phone alerted her that she had just received a message. She checked it discreetly.

 _Announcement made. Press's reaction, as expected, relatively explosive. Tomorrow you will be picked up from the hospital for our daily meeting._

It was from Gilgamesh's personal number, and Arturia raised an eyebrow. While she appreciated the lack of unnecessary phrasing, it was quite the telegraphic message. And what did it mean, she was going to be 'picked up' from the hospital? Was he sending a car to pick her up or something?

She forced herself to keep her cool. Gilgamesh was an impossibly conceited man; while she disliked the way he had written that message, it was completely useless to start an argument with him through phone texts. It was better to confront him in person the following day.

Therefore, she typed a short ' _Fine_ ', before putting the phone aside and giving her full attention to Shirou once again.

She knew that things were going to change very soon; she might as well enjoy her normal and unburdened time with her nephew for as long as she could.

…

*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*

…

The rest of the day was spent peacefully with the little boy, and Arturia was happy to hear from the doctors that her sister's treatment had started.

But that relative calmness was disrupted each time she was stared at by doctors and nurses alike, both that evening and the following day. The head medic was a sensible woman and her behaviour towards her did not seem to change at all, but everyone else… she could feel the difference, and she did not like it.

She would never have admitted it, but she actually looked forward to Gilgamesh's meeting, because it meant that she could leave the place. The problem was, he hadn't specified the time, and it could therefore be at any moment of the day.

In the late morning, sooner than she had expected, one of the entrance nurses came to Iri's room and quietly motioned for her to come closer.

"Ms. Pendragon, there is a man at the entrance… um… he wishes to speak with you."

Arturia stared at her, her question clear in her eyes, and the nurse squirmed uncomfortably. "I believe… he says he is your fiancée."

Well, Arturia decided, at least the nurse was pretending she had not seen the announcement on TV. It was quite strange for Gilgamesh to have come in person though.

She gave a short nod, and indicated her nephew.

"Please look after Shirou while I am not here."

She then leaned down to the boy's level. "I have to go for a few hours, Shirou. I'm not sure if I will be back today. Make sure to behave and listen to what the nurses say – and feel free to go to the recreational room after lunch."

Shirou looked a bit puzzled, but he knew that his aunt had usually valid reasons for the things she did; therefore, he merely nodded. The blonde woman smiled at him and kissed his forehead. She felt guilty about having to leave her young nephew alone merely to meet with her fiancée, but she had made a pact with Gilgamesh, and she would continue to respect it.

With her bag in hand, she made her way to the entrance, where she immediately saw a presence that seemed to have been causing quite a bit of commotion among the hospital staff. Arturia had to hold herself back from rolling her eyes.

Yes, maybe her future husband had a very imposing persona and – since he seemed to be quite furious – in that moment even more than usual, but that did _not_ justify the absolutely childish behaviour from the people there.

Gilgamesh was standing next to the reception desk, glaring at any person in sight, clearly hating being there and for who knew what other reasons. The moment his eyes landed on her, however, he seemed to strangely calm down and his handsome features distended into a more composed expression.

He took a step towards her.

"Arturia."

It was just one word, but the staff gasped at the two of them as they got near each other. Arturia found it completely unreasonable.

It was… it was… as if they were watching some drama show and were holding their breath to discover what was going to happen next.

Quite displeased by her own thoughts but aware that that was _exactly_ what she had agreed to become – a wife for display – she managed to give him some form of a smile.

"Gilgamesh. Shall we go, then?"

As if he had expected it, although Arturia doubted anyone else noticed that, he took her hand – the personnel _ahhhh_ -ed – and, when they reached the doors, which he opened for her, he slipped his arm around her waist – while the staff _ehhhh_ -ed in the background.

In that moment, the blonde woman was concentrating all her efforts in not losing her patience because of the people inside the hospital – and it was probably for the best, considering the crowd of photographers and journalists that was expecting them outside.

Completely disoriented, she was actually grateful for the fact that he did not let go of her waist and firmly guided her to the nearby limousine that was waiting for them.

Arturia only barely registered the fact that it had dark windows and therefore no one would be able to see inside it, before finding herself seated, the door closing behind her and her fiancée's arm still firmly around her.

"You can let go of my waist now, Gilgamesh."

It was probably the most out of place thing she could say, considering that he had just guided her through a horde of reporters and gotten her safely in the car. She realized it was actually a little unkind of her.

To her surprise, he seemed to read her mind.

"While you could be a little nicer, I will consider this slip of tongue a result of coming in contact with the full force of the press for the first time."

In spite of his words, he did indeed release her and slid a little further away from her in the spacious cabin.

Arturia did not concentrate on admiring the luxurious car, but rather on the direction the driver was taking; not to mention that she was still trying to get out of the mental daze she had found herself in ever since the flashes of the photographers had blinded her.

She blinked, touching her forehead lightly, and then closed her eyes, determined to clear her head. She had a future husband and a life to deal with; there was no time to let herself be thrown into confusion by the media. That kind of crowd was probably going to become a constant in her life from this point forward, it was therefore no use losing her concentration over it.

She looked up at Gilgamesh, finding that he was staring at her, looking a little annoyed at having been kept waiting while she organized her thoughts. Her eyes briefly darted from him to the driver's seat, which was separated from them by what appeared to be a long, black cloth.

Correctly guessing her question, he answered, "The driver can't hear anything from this part of the car, but even if he could, he is one of my servants – he has been chosen because of his dependability."

She raised an eyebrow, bringing her eyes back on him.

"That doesn't mean that he wouldn't find our conversations strange, if he could hear us."

For some reason, Gilgamesh looked particularly irritated on this day; it was very likely that he would take anything offensively, and his reply was cold.

"Then no conversation at all would probably be for the best."

She nodded curtly. It was indeed for the best if they both kept quiet. After all, the only thing they would talk about was the contract, and all those conversations were headache-inducing to say the least.

Yes. Silence was _much_ better than constantly clashing in verbal spars with her future husband.

…

*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*

…

To be fair, Gilgamesh had, for once, not _meant_ to be so curt. He had simply been beyond irritated because of the press's idiocy.

Those ridiculous mongrels had kept him occupied for far too long. He had not been able to get rid of them easily, because he had had to make sure they got the facts straight and did not invent too many colourful details to make the story more appealing to people. He had received emails and phone calls late into the night, making his annoyance reach astronomical levels.

At the same time, he had had work. The news had spread fast, and the popularity of Uruk Enterprises's already famous name had gone up quickly. That meant of course that both he and Enkidu had been very busy the whole night and early morning, with new business meetings and appointments to schedule.

He had been quite unceremoniously rude towards his fiancée, at least after they had gotten safely into the car, and he actually surprised himself by noticing it. Nevertheless, even after taking note of it, he decided that silence between them was indeed for the best.

Blissful silence, after all those hours spent in dealing with lowly beings.

Arturia was not breaking their shared silence. It was as if she needed that time of peace and quiet too. But it wasn't only that: she seemed to have noticed his desire for quiet as well.

Hmm. Quite strange.

But, for once, the fact that she seemed to have been able to read his mood was not unwelcome.

…

*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*

…

Without exchanging another word, they arrived at Gilgamesh's house – if one could call that mansion a simple _house_ – the limousine dropped them off by the underground entrance, and the driver opened the door. Very tersely, Gilgamesh indicated for her to precede him, and she exited the car.

Behind her, the blond man dismissed the chauffeur and then put his arm stiffly around her waist, guiding her to the entrance of the house.

More and more puzzled by his uncharacteristic behaviour, Arturia found herself in a large and elegant living room, where the two central sofas caught her eye. He gestured for her to sit down on one of them and made to leave.

However, she was getting a little annoyed; he had always been arrogant, but he was currently being more than just unpleasant. She didn't think he had the right to do that, unless she had accidentally done something extremely wrong in dealing with the media.

"Gilgamesh, would you please explain what put you in such a dreadful mood? If it was something I did with the press, inform me of it, so that I can make sure it doesn't happen again."

He stared at her, doing his best to hide his surprise. It wasn't particularly strange that she had noticed his mood now – not that he had done anything to conceal it – but it was startling that she thought that _she_ was at fault for it.

He suppressed a sigh. Of course she would blame herself, the abnegating woman that she was. Briefly – _very_ briefly, he firmly reminded himself – he felt a stab of guilt for having been rude enough to make her think that.

Taking her aback, he went to a table on the far side of the room and grabbed a wine bottle and two glasses from the vast selection of clean ones present, before inviting her to sit down once again.

Just as Arturia sat down, he began to pour them both a glass of a strange bottle of his red wine. She accepted it politely, even though she wasn't going to drink at such an early time of the day.

After sipping on his glass, he appeared slightly calmer. He seemed reluctant to utter his following words.

"A prolonged exposure to the stupidity and greediness of the press both yesterday and today can be… taxing."

He took another sip. "The announcement of the engagement has also brought some predicted positive results in the business field. The extent of the impact was somewhat superior to the expectations – which is only proof of how advantageous this contract is already becoming."

She kept her expression composed.

"I understand. Then, why did we come to your house today?"

He looked at the red liquid swirling in his glass.

"To keep up appearances as we agreed. You have this whole room at your disposal for a few hours – I will be in the conference room, to manage work from here, because the office has become… a little disorderly. It's not possible to work when the fatuity of the whole city is suddenly concentrated and spiked in the same place, and in the form of irritating people asking irrelevant questions."

The blonde woman stared at him, but her stare suddenly turned into a glare.

"Please wait a minute. You want me to stay here – and do nothing, _for a few hours?_ "

Gilgamesh's eyes left the wine glass to lock with hers.

"As I said, you have this room at your disposal and are free to do what you–"

She did not want to make interrupting him a habit, but in this occasion, she had to. What he was saying was _absolutely_ ridiculous.

"I don't believe we understand each other, Gilgamesh. To make the press think that we spend time together, your idea would be to have me over at your house. Which would be fine, if you had bothered to _inform_ me of it – because then, I would have brought something with me. I will remind you that, while you have work that you can manage from home, I have a lot of studying to do in order to graduate."

She suppressed a sigh as her glare lessened a little. "I know that the press followed the limousine, but if I leave on foot and then take the subway, I think it should be fine for me to go back to my apartment. All my studying material is there."

He did not look away from her for several seconds, until he sighed, seemingly annoyed.

"You can't take public transportation alone for a while – the media have taken pictures of you, but rushed ones and, as I said, they are greedy, they will try to take more in any possible and underhand way." He sighed again when he saw that she was about to talk. "Today you saw the limousine, but I don't usually go around with it. I have cars of my own to drive, so to avoid the needless media attention. Since you seem so adamant about going to your apartment, you leave me no choice but to take you there myself."

Arturia blinked. What had he just said?

 _He_ was going to drive her to her apartment? Where did this sudden kindness come from?

And wait… _driving_?

Her eyes darted to the wine glass he had just put on the small table.

"Even if your offer is unexpectedly generous, you have just drunk some wine and therefore…"

He actually rolled his eyes.

"There was no alcohol in that wine, Arturia. It's a special variety produced by Uruk Enterprises. Did you really think I would be driving with any kind of substance in my blood?"

He seemed more amused than haughtily offended, and he made her follow him to the underground parking lot once again. Aside from the limo, there were three other cars as well, ones he considered 'more anonymous'. But, while they were less flashy, Arturia could clearly see that they were all excellent models, thanks to the knowledge that Iri's interest in them had given her.

The car ride was mostly silent. Arturia had expected him to need to ask for directions but, to her surprise, he knew where to go. She questioned him about it.

"Your address was on your application file," he replied simply as he avoided the main roads to reach her apartment. As soon as he turned off the engine after the remarkably short ride, Arturia was ready to simply leave him there while she took her things.

But she had to keep in mind that not only had he made the effort of driving her to her place, he was also the man she was supposedly engaged to, and they did not know whether or not reporters were stalking them.

"Would you like to come inside as well?" she asked with a sigh, trying her best to be polite.

He flashed her a smirk.

"It's not like I will wait here for you, Arturia. I'm not your chauffeur."

Of course. Whenever she attempted to see the occasional kindness in his behaviour and ignore his arrogance, he immediately made sure she remembered it.

Not gracing him with an answer, she exited the car and waited for him to follow her inside the small apartment.

Briefly telling him to make himself comfortable – even though she knew that the ordinariness of the house would not be to his liking – the blonde woman went to her little bedroom to take her books. When she was there she had to stop though, and she looked around the place, pondering.

Her sister was in a coma and, according to the doctors, even with the cure starting immediately, it was unlikely for her to wake up before several weeks passed. Little Shirou had already refused to leave his mother, and in less than three months, both she and her family were going to move to Japan. There was no actual need to keep the apartment; in fact, it was a burden and a useless expense.

She needed to pack everything and move out, and it was best if she did it as soon as possible. With a sigh, she decided that before starting to pack, she had to at least do some studying… and talk with Gilgamesh as well.

Finding him in the living room, where he had lain down on the couch – he seemed to have some odd fetish with those recliners – she informed him of what she needed to do about the apartment and explained that she would start packing as soon as possible.

To her surprise – again – he sighed in annoyance and then told her that, once her and her sister's things were put into boxes, they could be brought from the apartment to his house. She was a little taken aback by such an unexpected offer, but she readily accepted.

Looking at the clock, he then briefly told her that he had work to do and she had to study, plus she had to begin packing.

"Tomorrow the servants will come to take everything. I suppose you will then want to go to the hospital but, since you can't wander around alone, I will come as well, this time with the limousine. Make sure to be ready by noon."

He did not give her the time to reply; maybe it was for the best, since it would have probably been an incoherent mix of thanking him, yelling at him for his arrogance, and taking her leave from him.

This man was a serious case of assorted contradictions, which prompted equally as contradicting responses from her too.

After he left, Arturia spent the rest of the day mainly putting together all her family's possessions to be ready to leave the place for good. Since she had never lived in a single place for long, she did not have any particular attachment to this specific apartment either, which she was beginning to feel grateful for.

She did not manage to get much studying done and while that upset her to an extent, she knew that she would able to concentrate better once she was at campus.

The following morning, Arturia went through some lessons that she knew she would need to complete her thesis. Happy with her work, she felt inclined to be less confrontational with Gilgamesh when the limo appeared at twelve o'clock sharp. As the servants took care of all her things, she stepped into the luxurious car after thanking them warmly. She did not notice how they all gaped at her for her words.

Gilgamesh greeted her with a nod and warned her to prepare herself for the press that was probably going to be around the hospital, and briefly gave a disapproving look to her simple attire. She ignored the look – she _always_ dressed in a simple manner and that was not about to change any time soon – and returned his nod to acknowledge his words.

There was indeed a large group of reporters waiting for the limo next to the hospital's entrance, and Arturia could not help feeling worried. What if one of those news-seeking people followed them inside the building or tried to take pictures from the windows or any other crazy thing to get a scoop?

Right when it was time to step out and she was preparing herself to unflinchingly face the incessant flashes, she felt an arm go around her waist and pull her close to a body – a _male_ body – and she felt Gilgamesh's mouth whispering in her ear.

"Keep next to me as we go through that obtuse mass of people – it's inevitably time for closer body contact."

She could not have given him a reply even if she had wanted to, because the next instant they were in the middle of the crowd. Noisy flashes went off one after the other – the driver and another servant struggled a little to open them a small passage – Gilgamesh kept her close and she unconsciously leaned into him because he was the only way she knew to get through it – the hospital doors finally appeared before them, and then everything was over.

As soon as the doors closed behind them, Arturia let out a breath of relief. Gone were the noise and the incredible amount of people, those who only looked forward to getting a good article out of their lives.

Looking around, she was glad to find out that the hall was quiet and empty except for two of the three reception nurses. It wasn't really a good thing that they were both gaping at them, their mouths hanging open in shock, but, the blonde woman decided, it was much better than any other scenario she could have previously feared having to face.

Therefore, with all the calmness she was able to muster, she carefully linked her arm with Gilgamesh's and indicated the direction they had to take. "This way."

He did not seem to have any reactions to her gesture, at least outwardly, and simply followed her lead, maintaining the contact between them. She could not say she was comfortable about the closeness, but she had to remember that she had agreed to it in the contract and they were still in a semi-public place, even though it was not nearly as 'dangerous' as it had been outside.

It was then, in the relative safety of the building and as they went through corridor after corridor, away from prying stares, that she realized that, outside, he had not kept her particularly close merely for appearance's sake, but to actually _shield_ her with his body.

She snorted mentally. That was hardly possible. She was simply being delusional and foolish because that large mass of people had made her uncomfortable. She shouldn't start to needlessly read into things.

As they reached her sister's room, they saw the head doctor coming out of it. Her black braid swayed behind her as she greeted them politely but quickly, explaining that she had an emergency to take care of in another department of the hospital; on the other hand, she informed them that Iri's conditions were already showing slight signs of improvement. Arturia gave her a relieved, small smile before turning towards the door, next to which Gilgamesh was standing.

After confirming with a glance that it was indeed her sister's, he opened it – and something crashed into his legs as he did so.

He looked down, mildly annoyed, as large golden eyes looked back at him in bewilderment and confusion.

"Who is this brat?"

Arturia gave him one of her best glares.

" _This_ ," and her tone was deadly, "is my nephew, Shirou." For good measure, she added, "And soon he will be _your_ nephew as well."

Then she turned towards the boy, who was eyeing the man in front of him warily, because he had suddenly been invested by his haughty aura that was quickly spreading around the room in waves.

"Shirou." She gave him a small smile and a brief caress on the head. "This is Gilgamesh Uruk. He is… he _will be_ your uncle."

Shirou inclined his head in excitement and, remembering his manners at Arturia's gentle nudge, stared into Gilgamesh's crimson eyes with welcoming respect.

"Nice to meet you, Future Uncle Gilgamesh! I am Shirou Emiya." His golden eyes were full of curious questions. "Are you and Auntie Ria going to marry? Is that why you will be my uncle?"

Arturia was about to reply, but the blond man anticipated her.

"Yes, it is."

She stared at him, a little taken aback. He had always given her the impression of a person who held a deep dislike for children, his initial words directed at Shirou somewhat confirming it. And yet…

The little boy smiled, with a partially toothless smile.

"So, after you get married, you will truly become Uncle Gilgamesh?"

Once again, the head of Uruk Enterprises was the one who answered. Only with a curt nod, but it was a reply nonetheless. Shirou looked between Arturia and Gilgamesh, before turning to his aunt, eyes full of interest.

"Auntie Ria, what is a 'brat'?"

Arturia's eyes widened a bit. What a wonderful situation she had been put in. She sighed.

"A brat, Shirou, is a child who behaves in a spoiled, ill-mannered and extremely unruly way. I'm sure that Gilgamesh used that term erroneously, because you were impolite in running into him like that. Isn't that right, _dear_?"

She smiled, a saccharine-sweet, extremely strained smile, looking pointedly at her fiancée, but Shirou spoke before he could reply, trotting towards Gilgamesh and extending his hand to him.

"I am sorry, Future Uncle Gilgamesh. I thought it was Auntie Ria coming in." He remained there, his hand extended expectantly, and Gilgamesh stared back blankly.

Surely the boy did not expect him to shake his hand to 'make peace' of sorts, did he?

Sensing that, Arturia took a step forward to prevent Shirou from being disappointed – but to her great surprise, Gilgamesh was faster than her. Instead of taking the boy's hand, however, he patted his head lightly.

"You know how to apologize – that is a good quality. Don't forget it as you grow up."

Arturia openly gaped at him while little Shirou, his hand going back to his side, assumed a serious expression and nodded solemnly.

Before Arturia's mind could conjure a plausible explanation, Gilgamesh looked at her.

"He speaks Japanese."

She returned his look with a startled one of her own.

"Of course he does. My sister, my nephew and I are bilingual – same as you."

She didn't have the time to take in his reaction because Shirou was tugging at her sleeve.

"Auntie Ria, are you angry at me?"

A little surprised, she knelt down to his level, motioning for him to come to her, as he did without hesitation.

"Certainly not. Why would you think that?"

Shirou's reply was candid.

"You only talk difficult when you are serious or angry…"

Gritting her teeth, she muttered, "I was not angry… not at you, at least."

And she shot a glare in her future husband's direction, even though it was only half-hearted. He had after all been strangely kind to her nephew; or at least, as kind as it was possible for someone like him to be.

Completely oblivious to this, Shirou gave her a wide grin.

"Auntie Ria, did you see? Another tooth fell off! I'm sure mommy will be happy about it!"

As she examined the boy's mouth and exchanged another few words with him, Gilgamesh observed her keenly.

He was very good at hiding it, but he was astounded at seeing the way Arturia's usually rigid expression _softened_. He had thought that her features, while handsome, looked somewhat stern most of the time, but her face was anything but when she smiled at her nephew Shirou, or even whenever she talked about or simply _mentioned_ her family.

Her whole demeanour changed; not in an overly visible manner, but her face, her eyes, the way she moved… everything in her became more open, gentler, happier, kinder – in short, absolutely beautiful.

She obviously cared about the young boy and about her sister – yes, about her _family_ , as she so often stressed – and her behaviour showed that. It was not something he had thought about before, but he had to admit that, in all the time he had known her, he had never seen her smile at him or anyone else the same way.

As if such an observation mattered. It wasn't anything he should consider important.

He had many things to do; he could not waste any more time at the hospital watching her talk with her nephew.

Therefore, he cleared his throat impatiently. "Arturia."

She looked up at him, and any trace of her previously soft expression was completely gone from her face.

He dismissed that new observation and informed her, his meaning implicit, "I have to go back to the office."

Arturia understood immediately: she had to accompany him to the entrance. She turned to her nephew again.

"I will be right back, Shirou."

He looked between her and Gilgamesh, and understanding seemed to dawn on him.

"Oh, you have to say goodbye to Uncle Gilgamesh alone!" His innocent eyes landed on his future uncle. "Will you come visit tomorrow too? I can show you my fallen milk teeth!"

Arturia held back a smirk at Gilgamesh's look, since it looked as if he was ambivalent about what expression to show, although he was obviously leaning towards a scowl. She gave Shirou her usual kiss on the forehead.

"I'm afraid _Uncle_ _Gilgamesh_ is not interested in milk teeth. Maybe showing him your maths homework would be better, Shirou."

And with a brief smile, she swiftly pulled the blond man out of the room.

Down by the entrance, she gave him a level-headed look, noticing how his eyes swept her up and down.

"Don't even _think_ about kissing," she said, wondering if she would catch him off guard with that comment.

He merely lifted an eyebrow and gave her a teasing glance.

"You can't avoid it forever, Arturia, but very well – you will avoid it today."

And with a wide smirk at her renewed glare, he left the hospital.

...

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	10. Smirks

**A/N** : No disrespect is intended towards real journalists, nor towards the books and the paintings I mention in this fic. Thank you to Jolanikati for editing!

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Before making the official announcement to the press, Gilgamesh and Enkidu had talked at length.

His best friend was shocked at first when hearing about the contract he had made with Arturia, but when he concisely explained the reasons for it, Enkidu did not have many comments to offer. Keeping his silence over the arrangements that had been made, he worked with Gilgamesh over the best way to announce the engagement to the media; afterwards, he went back to the office, ready to deal with the extra workload they expected to have once the news became public the following day.

Before leaving, Enkidu gave his best friend a wry grin.

"Ria has been quite brave in making such a choice, Gil… she still doesn't know how complicated this world is, with the constant presence of the press."

After he left, Gilgamesh found himself giving those words some thought. Enkidu had been talking about the fact that the blonde woman had decided to marry him, but assessing her decisions unexpectedly made the blond man bring forth another consideration.

When she had been told of sister's desperate conditions, Arturia had made a choice: she had chosen to save her sister's life.

After all, for Gilgamesh himself, thanks to that event, everything was going quite smoothly. He had known for a while that he needed to get a wife, and the woman he had selected had accepted, albeit not quite in the way he had expected her to. There were several things to be done for the engagement first and the wedding later, but they were all perfectly manageable, and the feat itself of getting a wife had in the end not been too complicated.

Uruk Enterprises was going to have a great increase in popularity once he made the official announcement for his marriage. Moving to Japan right after the wedding was also going to be a smart change; it would make sure that the benefits obtained with the publicity were used well, and Gilgamesh knew his business would expand nicely, after having been mainly centred in the US until then. There were new offices that were about to be opened in Hong Kong, and several others were already active in Europe. While those would need his presence during the following weeks, later on he was going to have to travel less and remain firmly located in Tokyo, having the excuse of being married and therefore of intending to spend most of his time with his wife.

Everything was going to be to his advantage and benefit, in more ways than one. And the main reason for it all was the choice that _she_ had made.

Arturia could have chosen differently: since she couldn't pay for the cure, she could have let her sister die.

She was about to graduate and already had a job, and the boy – her sister's son – was emotionally close to her. From a cold and logical point of view, forgetting the human emotions, she could have made that choice. Let her sister die, and take care of the boy herself. Which meant that she would never have come to him and made a contract with him. After all, only her need of money had made her accept his proposal…

He shook those thoughts away. He was being ridiculous.

After all – would _he_ have left his best friend Enkidu to die, if the situation had been reversed…? Of course not, that was never going to happen. Therefore–

It was _irrational_ to consider such things.

It was quite true that his premise was inaccurate: from the little he knew about her, Arturia had probably never made such a choice. She would never have even _considered_ the fact that there was the possibility of cold-heartedly letting her sister die. She cared too much about her family to do such a cruel and heartless thing.

He was having an inordinate amount of useless, pointless, _foolish_ thoughts, Gilgamesh decided. That woman was making the strangest things go through his mind.

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With some dexterity and making sure not to come with the limousine, Gilgamesh managed to escort her out of the building with him the day after meeting her nephew. Shortly afterwards, they were taking their seats in a quiet café nearby.

Arturia had been a little concerned about the safety of being in a public place like that, especially because she had seen the headlines that morning, which brought quite blurred pictures of her and Gilgamesh with comments on the ' _luckiest and yet most elusive woman of the moment_ '. He had dismissed her worries by simply stating that, as long as no copies of the contract were visible, actually being seen outside would only be beneficial.

As a waitress came to take their orders, to her slight confusion, he ordered for her as well. As soon as the woman was gone, he took notice of her staring and took the trouble to explain himself.

"Last time, you had coffee as your first drink. I ordered the same for you today."

She seemed about to say something, but then seemed to think better of it and closed her mouth again.

He narrowed his eyes. If she had thought he would not notice, she was mistaken.

"Arturia. What are you trying to conceal?"

She narrowed her eyes at him as well.

"I'm not trying to conceal anything. But," she continued, seeing that he was about to speak, "I have to admit that I am not fond of coffee. Last time I had some only because… I was severely sleep-deprived."

She detested the hesitation in her tone as she admitted it, but he did not comment on it, instead asking, in a strangely neutral tone, "What do you prefer then? Tea?"

Perplexed about his reason for asking, she nodded and, within seconds, the waitress was next to her again, politely listing the varieties of tea they had. Mechanically, she chose her favourite orange flavoured one, and then stared at the blond man.

He leaned forward a little, so that no one else could overhear his words.

"You should get used to being my fiancée a little more quickly, Arturia."

She gave him a flat stare, but did not reply; he was right. His being considerate of her preferences was something that was probably expected as her _fiancée_ , wasn't it?

They waited in silence until their orders arrived and, as she sipped on the hot, soothing tea, he spoke again, his tone more serious.

"The last time we talked about our arrangements, we had agreed to see more of each other – but it won't be entirely possible. While you have to finish college, I have to settle many business matters in preparation for the move to Japan. Therefore, I will be travelling throughout the following months, mostly overseas."

She put her cup back on the table to frown at him. This was not what they had agreed on. In what way was it going to affect things?

In reply to her silent question, he continued, a little annoyed, "I will send you Enkidu's number, if you don't have it already – he will be around, should any problems arise with the media. The most important thing you have to do while I'm absent is avoid releasing any statements to the press, not even to ask them to leave you alone. You can go as far as to say 'excuse me' if they don't let you pass, but don't say a word more to them. And when in doubt, ask Enkidu – he is used to those sharks."

While what he was saying was quite important in order to lead a reasonably peaceful life during the upcoming months, it wasn't what Arturia was mostly interested in; before she could bring up the topic that concerned her, he raised it himself, giving her a knowing look as he did so.

"For any other sum of money you need, you merely have to text me. I will send it to your bank account the same way I send your pay-checks."

He then gave her a grin. "While it's true that I will be away most of the time, I will come back on a few occasions – and exactly one month from today, we will fulfil one specific part of the contract."

Arturia chose not to say anything. She had a sneaking suspicion and an – accurate – dread about what he was talking about.

He confirmed her fears by widening his grin.

"You are going to come shopping with me."

She rewarded his words with a glare, but he only seemed entertained as he observed her expression.

"What is the matter, dear wife-to-be? Don't tell me you forgot? Hmmm…" He leaned forward to examine her face better, his eyes keen on her features. "No, you didn't… You thought – or rather _hoped_ – that _I_ would forget."

He had _such_ an annoying smirk, and the fact that he hadn't let her speak much that day certainly was not helping. However, he unexpectedly asked her a question next.

After witnessing the moment with her nephew at the hospital the day before, Gilgamesh had decided to ask. He was not _curious_ , nor was he _interested_ , but he simply thought it would make for a good conversation subject that wasn't going to be boring.

He would not see her for a while, after all; while it was of little consequence to him, it was best if they did not get too hostile, especially since they were in public.

"Arturia, I must admit my mild puzzlement about your nephew. Your family is not wealthy and, from what you have said, it appears that your sister's pregnancy was not planned, nor was it expected. This makes it quite strange when confronted with the fact that she adopted a boy. Was there any specific reason for it?"

She was silent for several seconds, as if deciding on what to tell him.

Careful with every word, she slowly replied, "My brother-in-law, Kiritsugu, was a fireman. There was a huge arson about two years ago, and the only person who was saved was Shirou. However, he lost everything that night, his family and his future. Iri– that is, my _sister_ , couldn't bear the thought of the young child facing an unknown destiny on his own, therefore she and Kiritsugu adopted him."

He gave her a searching look, strangely sombre for once. He made the connection between what she had just said with what he already knew about her.

"But you said yourself that your sister is of sickly constitution, and that her husband was bedridden for a long time. I am going to assume that they didn't have the time to be actual parents to your nephew." His gaze was penetrant, and made her a little uncomfortable. "No wonder the boy is so attached to you. _You_ have most likely been his true caretaker."

He was taken aback by her sudden vehemence.

"That is not true! Iri has often sacrificed her health to _always_ be there for Shirou!"

Her outburst was so passionate that it shocked even herself, and she looked away. She had not even realized that she had leaned forward in her seat and had almost knocked her teacup over. She should not have lost control over herself in such a manner just to defend her sister, especially not in front of a man who had no idea what she was actually talking about.

He didn't know _anything_ about her family, and he had _no right_ to know anything either, therefore any comment he made should not have the power to unsettle her like that.

To avoid meeting Gilgamesh's gaze and to hide the fact that she was a little ashamed of her reaction, she brought the cup to her lips, took a sip and looked around the room, and since it was almost empty, turned her eyes towards the windows.

It was then that she noticed a strange glint in the bushes on the other side of the café's street. It took her a brief while, but then she realized that they were most likely the lens of a camera.

"Gilgamesh, I believe there might be someone with a camera outside the café."

Her voice was low and controlled, a stark contrast to her previous exclamation. He, on the other hand, did not seem concerned at all and took a sip from his coffee, quite at ease.

"That's fine. This is the right time to start making our contract effective. We are in public – we have to have an innocuous conversation."

She looked at him scornfully. He certainly was a little too relaxed, considering the situation, but once again, he had a point: it was indeed the right time to respect their contract.

She huffed.

"Fine. You said that we could comment works of literature. Allow me to wonder about what exactly you meant by that."

He gave her one of his flattest look.

"It's exactly as it sounds – I suggested talking about famous books."

She raised an eyebrow and looked at him with polite incredulity.

"So… you actually read. I thought you had just been exaggerating."

His eyes were glaring at her, and she somewhat understood his irritation. He was an arrogant person, that was for sure, but he would not brag about things that were untrue, as he was _too_ arrogant to do that. He wasn't a boaster.

Yet she was certain that he had been overestimating himself nonetheless.

"What do you think, say, of Shakespeare's 'Hamlet'?"

He actually rolled his eyes.

"Hamlet is a fool."

She narrowed her eyes, and he deigned himself to explain. "Indecisive and yet impulsive fool, that is what he is. Although, I do appreciate some of his wit."

Arturia looked at him skeptically.

"You _did_ read the play, didn't you?"

His renewed glare was confirmation enough, and she sighed. "Then, what about Ophelia?"

Something in the way he was obviously refraining from furrowing his brow told her that he was getting bored.

"Her relevance in the story is much smaller than what critics make it out to be."

While she actually agreed with him, she felt compelled to be fair.

"And yet, her tragedy inspired many artists, for example Millais's–"

"–'Ophelia Portrait', yes. Probably managed to capture the only mildly interesting moment in the character's life – her death."

Arturia wasn't entirely sure about how to reply to that. She had always thought the same about that beautiful painting, even though she would have phrased it with a little more respect.

Nevertheless, it was Gilgamesh speaking; what could she expect? What _had_ she expected? It was probably better if she found something else to talk about, since she had noticed with the corner of her eye that the glinting objects in the bushes were still very much present.

She thought briefly, before suppressing a satisfied smile.

"What are your thoughts on Dante Alighieri?"

She expected him to not even know whom she was talking about, but he replied instead, "I did not have the patience to read more than some sonnets and the endlessly long Divine Comedy by him."

She was mute for a second, her eyes wide, before uttering, controlled disbelief in her voice, "You have actually read his work."

Gilgamesh seemed to hold himself back from rolling his eyes.

"Arturia, in spite of your firm prejudices, I will have you know that I own a large library and did in fact spend quite some years of young adolescence in reading. I can't say I have enjoyed much of that experience, but what's done is done. It's not my custom to hold regrets. It _is_ my custom to make the most of the situation, and since I had to read a vast amount of material, material that you presumably know as well, it can make for conversations, especially in public – like now."

Right then, Arturia's brand-new phone buzzed, since she had set an alarm clock for the time in which she intended to go back to the hospital. After talking about her nephew and literary works with her future husband, getting the most unexpected replies from him, she welcomed the sound with relief.

She turned the alarm off and put the phone back in her bag before making a motion of standing up.

However, his hand on her arm stopped her in the middle of her movements. She looked up at him.

He was much closer than she remembered him to be, and his blood red eyes were studying her face carefully. They were both still seated, but he leaned even closer – and she, mindful of the cameras, did not pull back.

He smirked, just a little.

"We are in public, and are also pretending to be unaware of the reporters outside. It would be quite becoming for us to kiss in the occasion at present."

She had expected him to say something along those lines the moment he had leaned towards her, and she knew that she could not refuse. It was probably for the best in any case since, at the very least, it would give something to the press.

Therefore, she nodded almost imperceptibly and murmured, through gritted teeth, "If you try anything inappropriate, however, I will not hesitate to push you back."

His annoying – and usual – smirk was enough to tell her that he was very much enjoying her discomfort, but was probably going to respect the terms of the contract at the same time. That deliberation was not enough to prepare her for his following actions though.

He stood up, taking her with him – and the next instant, his arms invaded her personal space, pulled her to him and he firmly pressed his lips to hers.

Shocked, it took her all her willpower not to react instinctively and not actually push him away. She forced herself to concentrate: she had _agreed_ to this close physical contact, she had to play along, she had to–

On one of her sides, she was vaguely aware of the fact that multiple flashes were going off outside the café, and that made her lucidity come back to her.

All she was doing with Gilgamesh was merely to give a small show to the hiding photographers.

Well, then…

Tentatively, she pressed herself a little closer to him and brought her arms up, so that they would not remain stiff on her sides but make her seem an active participant in the kissing. She wasn't entirely sure what to do with them to offer a more convincing display though, so she opted for making them simply go rest on his shoulders.

It seemed to be the right thing to do, because his hold on her became suddenly securer and his touch more insistent…

Before she could begin to wonder about _what exactly_ he was doing, it was over. He released her, his smirk in place, and turned around to go pay the bill.

Without exchanging another word, they left the café and walked back to the hospital, the reporters luckily not following them.

By the entrance of the building, he took his leave from her.

"I will see you in a month, Arturia."

Another of his best, infamous smirks, and he was gone.

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	11. Shopping

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The month passed much faster than Arturia expected and, in that period of time, she was surprised to find just how little of her life actually changed.

She was still able to go class, write her thesis, return to work, and spend time with her nephew and still comatose sister, whose treatment was proceeding well.

The only problem was the reporters' presence. They tended to follow her around everywhere outside, yelling questions at her – sometimes outrageously rude ones – that she made a point of ignoring.

At work, Enkidu showed up a few times, friendly as always. She was well aware of the fact that the engagement had increased Uruk Enterprises' prestige and as a result, Enkidu was extremely busy since he had been left in charge of everything while Gilgamesh managed the offices abroad, so she tried not to hold him up for too long and kept the conversations on superficial levels.

However, one day she did enquire on whether or not Gilgamesh had told him to monitor her actions and keep her under scrutiny during his absence.

Enkidu denied that, instead saying, "All he did was ask me to make sure you weren't oppressed by the media."

She was completely skeptical.

" _Asked_ , didn't he?"

He gave her a grin.

"Well, he _did_ make it sound more like a request instead of an order – ~probably a one in a million occurrence."

As the weeks went by, she looked on with dread at what expected her. Even if it was a part of the agreement and she had to respect it, it didn't mean that she couldn't feel exasperated with it at the same time.

She was also somewhat surprised at finding that she couldn't think of her fiancée without recalling when she had seen him last: the moment in which they had kissed. She could _feel_ her expression contorting in annoyance every time her mind was adolescent enough to go there, and she resolutely forced herself to be more mature about the entire ordeal.

From what she had surmised in her conversations with Enkidu, she knew that Gilgamesh was insanely busy and was going to come back to America for merely one day, which he would end up spending with her on that shopping spree.

She really _wasn't_ looking forward to it, and his text two days before the settled date did not make things any easier.

 _Make sure to remember this: anything that is suitable among the possible selection, you will buy. No excuses. The shopping will not be considered complete until you have a whole new wardrobe._

She was beginning to wonder if he obtained his arrogance via daily pills. Only that would explain his endless renewal of it in nearly every interaction she had with him.

And now through technological devices too!

He could not be bothered to ever make an effort, could he?

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The day came – a day Arturia detested with every fiber of her being.

The day to go shopping with Gilgamesh.

As a matter of fact, she _hated_ going shopping for clothes, as she considered it a complete waste of time, time she could use for much more productive things. What was the point of spending hours upon hours in malls to try on pieces of clothing that were usually very expensive, not in the right size and often not to her liking in cuts or colours?

When she really needed clothes, she would usually visit street markets or second-hand shops. She knew her taste was not particularly sophisticated, but it made her always appear adequately serious, and the materials she chose were comfortable. She did not really care about the fact that they weren't designer clothes – besides, she wouldn't have been able to afford them even if she had actually wanted them.

Gilgamesh had quieted her protests and her slightly childlike complains the moment he had seen her, telling her that she didn't have the excuse of not having the money anymore and, aside from being part of the contract agreements, he intended to come with her to make sure her wardrobe was going to be the most fitting one. And she, well, she had had no choice but to comply.

She had to remind herself, more than once, that she had willingly agreed to all of this.

However, that did not mean that their meeting again after a month of absence was without friction. Since it was at the hospital, his greeting consisted of pulling her to him with an arm straight around the waist as he leaned in towards her cheek at the same time.

In a low voice, he murmured in her ear, the smirk clear in his voice, "Did you miss me, Arturia?"

She was already in a very irritable mood, so she couldn't control the dryness in her tone – nor did she attempt to – and her reply was flat.

"I missed you as much as I miss the headache that talking with you always produces, Gilgamesh."

He leaned back and raised an eyebrow at her, but even if she chose to pay no outward attention to it, his amusement at her words was not lost on her.

Making sure to have the limousine go in the opposite direction before taking off with his own car, Gilgamesh went with her to a very classy place; of course, she mentally reflected, everything _had_ to be classy when Gilgamesh was involved. It was, however, quite a humble place to do the shopping, if she considered that her fiancée was a person of enormous wealth.

Taking her aback, he began to simply go through the aisles with her, looking at the various clothes in boredom, but picking up some items at intervals.

She did not really care to observe his behaviour, instead finding herself uncomfortable in the normal – but still very refined-looking – place.

She was not used to going around so casually; if she went somewhere, she had a purpose for it, and if she decided to buy clothes, she went, chose, paid and was done with it. Since she was going around with Gilgamesh, however, she knew that things were going to be different. And since she was already resigned to the fact that she would most likely waste the whole day with this nonsense – though, in the late afternoon she would go visit Shirou and Iri, whether he 'approved' or not – she might as well let him do whatever he pleased.

Suddenly he turned around with several items in hand. She was still surprised by the fact that someone with a holier-than-thou attitude had not wanted any servants to accompany them – he was actually holding the clothes himself – but he had been adamant about being alone with her.

"Try these on," he half-asked, half-commanded.

She eyed both him and the clothes suspiciously, as something did not add up there.

"How do you know they are my size?"

He smirked, his eyes sweeping her body up and down briefly.

"I made a guess – and I believe it to be an accurate one. Now go change."

She glared at him, despising his authoritative tone, and took the clothes from his hands to go to the dressing rooms.

To her astonishment, not only _did_ most of the clothes fit, all the items were also in comfortable materials. How had he known that she favoured such things?

In addition, the colours and cuts were perfectly suitable for her tastes. She liked many of the things she tried, even though some – very few, to be fair – were a little too tight and others too large.

When she came out after rapidly trying on everything, he looked a little disappointed.

"You're not going to let me see you in the new clothes?"

She narrowed her eyes at him.

"If you're expecting praise because you guessed right, you won't get it."

He chuckled. "No, I simply want to make sure the clothes fit."

She ignored him, irritated, and looked for a shop assistant. A few shirts were too tight around the chest area, a few others were too large, but she was not going be able to find the right sizes in that labyrinth of a place that she did not know, and there was _no way_ she would ask Gilgamesh for it because he would most certainly tease her, if not worse.

Finally spotting a shop assistant who could help her, she politely asked for the right sizes and then was about to turn around to find Gilgamesh again, only to see him right behind her, with an amused smirk on his lips.

To her chagrin, she felt her cheeks burn slightly. This man – her future husband – who enjoyed teasing her, had _of course_ heard everything.

She muttered curtly, "Shut _up_."

His smirk only widened.

"I didn't say anything."

With much difficulty, she suppressed a scowl.

"You were about to."

He only shrugged. "True."

But, even if he behaved in his usual arrogant way, he was strangely merciful enough to drop the matter, before handing her another small pile of clothes. They were no longer just casual clothes; in there were some more elaborate outfits and dresses as well.

Arturia was perplexed, since she did not usually wear dresses; she much preferred suits – he had actually selected a few for her – or just simple shirts and trousers.

He seemed, very annoyingly so with its increasing frequency, to read her mind.

"You are getting married to me," he told her – as if she needed a reminder, she thought in impatience – "and therefore you will need to have clothes suitable for you, and for all occasions. I won't allow you to look anything less than perfect."

She had no choice but to swallow her protests and she left to try on the new clothes. Again, she was surprised at his ability to have chosen so well. She actually liked the dresses, and she saw that several articles were in blue, a favourite colour of hers and one she knew was quite becoming on her. There were a few black, white, and red items, some specific silvery and golden ones, but after the blue, the most selected colour was green.

She did not really understand his choice of colours, at least not until she tried on a lovely low-cut emerald dress and, looking at herself in the mirror, saw how much that brought out her eyes, because it was the exact same shade.

She could not help feeling somewhat confused. It was really, really odd on Gilgamesh's part. He had been very precise in the choice of her wardrobe, and almost everything was to her taste as well. He had not had much time to choose either, and that made things even stranger.

When trying on the newest clothes he had chosen, she also noted that all items were now the right size around her chest, and she rolled her eyes mentally. _Of course_ , he had taken notice of that detail earlier. Few things escaped his notice, it seemed.

When she emerged from the changing room, she found a series of accessories, jewellery, and bags awaiting her selection, and then shoes, for which he had again guessed the right size.

That was how, in a surprisingly _brief_ amount of time, Arturia got herself an entire new wardrobe.

Her eyes travelling over the vast amount of items that she was going to purchase, she could not stop herself from truthfully admitting her thoughts to him.

"You indeed seem to have a fine taste in clothes."

His face betrayed little, but she could see that he was a little surprised not by the comment itself, but by the fact that it was coming from _her_.

Perhaps… he also seemed… pleased.

No, that was very unlikely. Anything that she thought she had seen was hidden quickly, and instead he assumed a smug expression, with a smirk on his lips.

"Did you expect otherwise, dear wife-to-be?"

She would not lie; no matter how infuriating he was, in openly using that term especially, she would not lower herself to lie.

"Yes, actually," she admitted.

He only seemed more amused by her honesty, chuckling, "Surprising you is always a pleasure for me."

She rolled her eyes. He really grated on her nerves.

His gaze then left her to sweep over everything they had already bought, which the shop assistants were dutifully beginning to fold for them.

A new, slow grin stretched his lips, and his eyes gleamed on her.

"The only things left to buy are now nightwear… and underwear."

She _knew_ he had said that in a certain tone just to enjoy seeing her unable to suppress a blush at his comment, and she immediately replied, "You are _not_ having part in that."

His grin still in place, he only lifted an eyebrow.

"And why not?"

But she would not play his game, not this time – on that, she absolutely wouldn't compromise. She gave him a flat stare, and he sighed in a barely noticeable manner.

"Very well. I will endeavour to wait outside then. But make sure to choose all the items you need, without holding back because of the price – or because of your ideas of appropriateness."

She felt the urge to roll her eyes again, did not hold it back this time and then went to the underwear section, briefly making sure that he was not following her and could not see what she was choosing. She quickly went through the various articles, critically selecting modest pieces and then nightclothes, keeping in mind that she was going to have to sleep in the same room as that dubious man.

She also found decent home clothes that, together with the clothes she already possessed, would complete her wardrobe to wear in and outside the house. She added them all to the pile, making sure _he_ did not see them. She also did her best to avoid automatically checking the prices.

He had not waited idly while she chose the clothes, talking on the phone with someone she guessed was his driver, because she could see the limousine outside waiting for them.

Gilgamesh gave a cold glance to the shop assistants, very obviously reminding them of their job of folding all the clothes and sending them to his address, since he had already paid for everything, and they all immediately nodded zealously.

He then looked at Arturia. "The car is waiting."

She frowned. They weren't very far from the hospital, and besides, they had come with _his_ car – so why the limousine?

Understanding her unspoken question, he merely smirked.

"We're going to the wedding shop now."

She was not very reassured by the fact, so he explained, with a little annoyance in his tone, "To select your wedding gown, Arturia."

She mentally cursed, while managing to keep her expression neutral. She had forgotten that little detail; the whole point of the day was to choose her wedding clothes, for the ceremony and then the reception afterwards.

It was going to be a very grand event; as far as she knew, a large ensemble of people was going to attend, among which there were also the business associates and all the rich people who counted in society.

She mentally slapped herself for her memory failing her. She knew she would have to wear elegant, white, sophisticated and terribly _uncomfortable_ clothes.

With a sigh, Arturia preceded Gilgamesh to the car.

…

*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*

…

In Gilgamesh's opinion, she was _incredibly_ entertaining. Especially on this day.

He had had to be abroad for an entire month to personally make sure that Uruk Enterprises prospered around the world; he had also been busy dealing with everything that was needed for him to move to Japan with his future bride, and it was slowly becoming worth it.

Arturia was exceptionally amusing. He noticed it especially after this long period away from her. Of course, he was going to enjoy more time with her once they actually got married, but he could not find anything to complain about the current bonus _before_ that moment.

Observing her at the shopping mall earlier had only made him more certain about the fact that she was going to be a perfect wife and was never going to be boring.

He could not find anything to complain about this extra time _at all_.

…

*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*

…

"No."

Surprisingly, it was not Arturia who had said that, but Gilgamesh. She, to her relief, yet also slight annoyance, had very little to do, even though the wedding gown was going to be for _her_.

Gilgamesh had made the people from the bridal shop show him various clothes, and he was unflinchingly dismissing each and every one of them, utterly unimpressed.

It would have been mildly entertaining, seeing a famous billionaire businessman going through wedding clothes, but the fact that he was choosing _her_ wedding gown was more than enough to make all the hilarity disappear.

Arturia actually found herself quite bored, since all she saw were clothes that were being refused, without her input ever being requested nor needed – not that she intended to offer it – and therefore she began her stroll through the shop, looking at the various wedding items around there, mainly seeing a lot of satin everywhere. She briefly wondered how much it would cost to buy just a simple bracelet in such an exclusive place.

She was brought out of her musings when she heard Gilgamesh call her name. He indicated a dress hidden by a tulle coverage.

"Try that one," he said, seeming extraordinarily satisfied with himself.

She raised an eyebrow at his expression, but complied, for once without a word, deciding to save her remarks for another time.

She didn't even bother asking him if the dress had the veil or not; they had argued about it earlier during the car ride, as it was the only thing on which she had put her foot down. She disapproved of such an article, because it would only hinder her sight and just be plainly useless in nature. Gilgamesh had actually seemed to listen and had ultimately relented.

Only when stepping out of the vehicle did it occur to her, how petty that whole exchange had been: of all things she and Gilgamesh could have been discussing, it had to be the _wedding veil_.

But, after all, _anything_ that she and this man ended up talking about was uncommon.

In an enormous dressing room with mirrors on three different walls, she carefully tried it on and, after some trouble with the zippers, she was truly taken aback by the dress he had chosen.

It was a simple piece with clean lines, and it was unusual, considering what Gilgamesh's tastes were usually like. It was constructed with a soft, comfortable white fabric, which hugged her body like a second skin all the way down to her feet. It wasn't ostentatious by any means; there was nothing more than small, subtle decorations in navy silk, minuscule pearls and lace all over it.

It enhanced her slender figure, making her look feminine and very elegant, but at the same time, it did not show too much skin and was therefore modest enough to suit her tastes.

She had to admit that she actually liked it.

"He was right. You look bewitching in that, miss," came a steady voice from behind her.

Arturia whirled around abruptly, remembering only a second after doing it that she was wearing an elaborate dress – but to her surprise, it followed her movements without ripping nor creasing. She was wearing a truly well-made piece of clothing.

A tanned man with white hair and a stern countenance had appeared behind her.

She had never seen him before, and she therefore asked him warily, "Excuse me, you are…?"

He gave her a gracious bow.

"I'm Archer, owner of the shop. Your fiancée has asked me – well, more like _ordered_ me – to make sure you like the dress."

His gaze swept her form up and down, observing her critically and without a hint of anything else than professionalism.

"At least, I hope he is your fiancée," he added, noticing the tight look that appeared on Arturia's face when he used that specific word.

She berated herself internally while plastering a composed expression on her face.

"He is," she conceded reluctantly. "I apologize for my reaction. It still feels strange to hear the use of that term."

He gave her another polite nod, before handing her a small box.

"In any case, your… future husband wants me to give you these, miss. They are the jewels you will be wearing, and you should make sure they match the dress."

Arturia's eyebrows shot high. That was extremely rude of Gilgamesh.

"I am sorry he disturbed you. He could have brought me these himself."

This time there was a shadow of a smile in the shop owner's stern expression.

"The groom should not see the bride in the wedding dress before the wedding day, miss," he reminded her politely, and while her expression didn't change, Arturia mentally slapped herself. Hard.

Where was her head? She was not being as focused as she should.

The man continued, "He is also going through our selection of reception dresses at this time. He has not found what he is looking for, at least not yet."

His eyes landed on her and, noticing her slight agitation at the thought, observed her form keenly.

"I wouldn't be worried if I were you, miss. Your fiancée has very good taste… both in dresses and in women."

Arturia's expression grew cold, but she noticed, with pleased surprise, that he had not said that with a vulgar tone, nor was he looking at her in any offensive or suggestive way.

It was more… as if he was stating a fact.

She frowned inwardly, mildly confused, even though her expression did not betray it. What a strange man. She then tilted her head slightly.

"Thank you, Mr. Archer. If you don't mind, I would like to change after trying on the jewels, so if you could give me some privacy…"

He nodded, bowing again briefly.

"Certainly. I will bring you the reception dress as soon as your fiancée selects it."

Alone again – the shop owner seemed to move with almost unnatural quietness – she opened the box, and she gasped sharply.

The jewels, in silver and gold, were absolutely breathtaking. There were two thin bracelets, a few beautifully elaborated ornaments that were obviously meant for her hair and an incredibly elegant golden necklace, which had small dark sapphires and even smaller rubies nestled through it.

Very carefully, since she knew those were very expensive jewels and she could not refuse to wear them – _curse the contract_ – she slowly tried them on.

It was no surprise when she looked at herself in the mirror in seeing that everything was perfectly matched together. Even though she would never admit it to _him_ , she actually liked her overall appearance. She looked the bride part perfectly.

There was a soft knock before Archer entered the room again. She realized he had knocked earlier as well, but she had not heard him, too lost in her thoughts as she had been.

He was holding another white dress and a pair of shoes, and handed them to her wordlessly, leaving her again to let her change. She kept on the jewels, and slipped on the reception dress.

It was the same creamy white of the wedding gown, but the small decorations were cerulean instead of navy. The skirt was a bit wider – while still remaining rather skin-tight, it allowed her more freedom in her movements – but it was a much shorter dress, stopping above her knees in elegant lacy waves.

The shoes were white high-heels, and she internally groaned. Who could even _walk_ on those deathly traps that people insisted upon calling shoes? But she did not have much of a choice, therefore she might as well try them on.

Once again, she found herself taken aback, because they were not only comfortable, but also very graceful and still allowed her to walk in them quite easily as if she was wearing flats.

The ensemble with the dress and the jewels looked… enchanting.

Arturia had to acknowledge that Gilgamesh truly had good taste. She wondered how he had learned so much about female clothes in the first place.

She had just put the jewels back in the box when there was another knock. Archer respectfully complimented her overall appearance, and she thanked him for his gallantry, before asking him to please inform her _fiancée_ that both dresses were perfectly fine and that they were going to buy them. He simply nodded and left her alone to change once again.

Back into her normal clothes, she went out holding both the box with the jewels in it and the reception dress, where she found Gilgamesh impatiently waiting for her.

As she took a look around, noticing Archer who was putting the wedding dress in an elaborate box so that it wouldn't get creased, she could not help asking, "What about _your_ wedding clothes?"

The blond man waved it off.

"Already taken care of."

She lifted an eyebrow but did not probe further. Archer gave them both a polite bow as they exited the shop.

Finally. They were done for the day and she still could not believe at how fast things had gone, and without her having to do much aside from making sure the clothes fit.

As the limousine was nearing the hospital – his driver had brought his car back to the mansion already – where they would each go on their respective, separate ways, she felt compelled to ask him, "Gilgamesh, how come you have such good taste in clothes?"

He seemed mildly amused.

"So you believe I have good taste only when it comes to clothes?"

She rubbed her temples briefly. He was _impossible_.

"Never mind. Please forget I asked."

It was not as if she _needed_ the answer, after all; there was no point in getting a migraine just to find out.

He chuckled lightly, before suddenly turning uncharacteristically serious.

"Clothes and fashion are part of my business field. Knowing how to handle them is a requirement." Voice lowering slightly, he added, not meeting her eyes, "And my mother was a very capable fashion expert."

Arturia felt a little surprised. While she had made it very clear that her family was all that mattered to her, he had never brought up his own. The way he had mentioned his mother made her actually feel an unexpected, small stab of guilt; she hoped she had not raised a painful subject, but she couldn't determine anything by staring at him, because his face was unreadable, and he obviously did not wish to continue on the topic.

She had to remember that she knew very little, if anything at all, about her future husband's personal life. She had no right to probe into it.

Suddenly, she was struck with a thought that pushed his past out of her mind.

"Gilgamesh, a question about the wedding reception. There are going to be your business partners, both allies and competitors, correct?"

He nodded, even though he seemed sardonic at the use of the word 'competitors'.

All of a sudden, she seemed to appear somewhat insecure. "And I suppose they are going to address us both?"

He started to see what was worrying her.

"The fact that you are not perfectly knowledgeable about my company doesn't matter, Arturia."

"It does," she defiantly shot back. "It would reflect very poorly on you, if your wife turns out to be a fish out of water in the midst of all those people."

He seemed actually intrigued by her words, and on this occasion, _she_ managed to guess _his_ thoughts.

"I made a contract with you, Gilgamesh," she reminded him – and herself – for the umpteenth time. "Whether I like it or not, I made a commitment and I will stay true to my word. You demanded to have a wife who would not disgrace your public image in exchange for all the money you are providing for my sister. If I don't know more about your business deals, or at least enough to hold a reasonable conversation with people deeply immersed in them, then I can't be fulfilling my end of the bargain, now can I?"

And she looked at him challengingly. He could not hide his brief expression of amazement, before smirking and then chuckling, with a hint of warmth.

"You do have a point, dear wife-to-be," he said, a teasing note present but not as prominent as she would have expected. "Very well. I will see to it that you spend time with Enkidu to become informed about my company during the following weeks."

Almost smiling, she nodded. She was going to make sure she respected the terms of the agreement; she had promised to be Gilgamesh's wife for display, and she was going to do it to the best of her abilities, because it was thanks to the agreement that her sister was receiving treatment in the first place. Therefore, she wasn't going to do anything halfway.

Who would have guessed that this was actually the first time they agreed with one another _easily_ , and by almost smiling at each other.

Almost.

She _could_ try to keep things as friendly as possible with the man she was going to marry, couldn't she?

After all, the day's shopping excursion had required very little effort on her part: she had had very low expectations and had certainly been less focused and _much_ less cooperative than she would have usually been.

To be perfectly frank, she had been rather cranky, irritable and quite rude up until this moment, even if she had gotten better as the trip continued on. He, instead, had been fully in control of everything that was happening, at all times; he was also the one who was going to have to leave with another flight a mere six hours later, to come back only in a fortnight.

She had truly been uncivil on this day, and what was worse, she had behaved in such a way towards him _undeservedly_.

There was little she could do to make it up to him, but at the very least, she could be civil _now_. As soon as they reached the hospital, she therefore commanded herself to give him a polite nod, noticing that it actually didn't cost her too much of an effort to do.

"Have a safe trip, Gilgamesh. See you in two weeks."

She walked out of the car and disappeared inside the hospital, not noticing the surprise that appeared on his face in reaction to her words.

...

...

 **A/N** : about the dresses… Arturia's wedding dress is very similar to the one Teresa Lisbon wears in the TV series The Mentalist, just a little more elaborate. The reception dress is instead based on the one Kate Middleton was wearing when her engagement to Prince William was announced (in white, of course).

Thank you so much for reading ;)))


	12. Arrangements

…

…

...

...

From her following day of work onwards, Enkidu started to appear at her office door to have 'a friendly chat', as he liked to call them.

In actuality, while he excused his visits by claiming he was supervising her work, he went there to describe to her the inner workings of Uruk Enterprises and the way Gilgamesh ran his company. He also gave her speech instructions, telling her what sentences were the most appropriate to say in public in order to maintain a neutral dialogue with others, especially with people she didn't know or wasn't certain she could trust. She was glad to find out that she didn't have difficulties in picking up any of those things.

Arturia enjoyed such talks with him. Enkidu was friendly and open and, while mischievous, also very reliable. Since he also happened to be the best friend of the man she was going to marry, they inevitably ended up talking about Gilgamesh as well. At first, they had just mentioned him, but then it progressed to having him be the main topic of conversation.

She knew that Enkidu did that to gently help her get accustomed to the idea of her marriage – since he was well aware of the real reasons for the arrangement – and in all honesty, she couldn't fault him for that. It was kind of him, and she did not mind that part of their talks, because she also found out some things about Gilgamesh through them.

For example, a week after the shopping, Enkidu remarked, "I should probably feel slighted, Ria~… When Gil came here last week, he didn't even spend a minute with his best friend, instead dedicating himself _completely_ to his future wife! It's true that he had only a few hours between one flight and the other, but he only squeezed in time for _you_ ~…"

She simply gave him a noncommittal apology – using the neutral sentences he had just taught her – and changed the subject, but later, when alone in her office again, she took a few minutes to ponder over it.

The fact that he had spent the little time he had to go shopping with her would have been strange if she didn't know he had done it as part of the contract, merely because he wanted his future wife to dress appropriately, or at least, in a way _he_ thought was appropriate.

She couldn't forget so easily that everything she had been wearing from that day on came from that shopping excursion with him, since he had made sure that some of the clothes were sent to the hospital, where she was now living for the time being. She had also noticed that certain items that had been chosen, specifically ones that looked particularly good on her, had been bought more than once.

She didn't really understand Gilgamesh's behaviour. As she had known from the start, he obviously wanted a wife to give lustre to his image as businessman, and many of his actions towards her reflected that. But other actions… did not.

She knew he was an extremely haughty person, who valued his business more than anything else, except maybe his friendship with Enkidu. Yet while what he did was to respect the contract, it seemed as if he put a little _too_ _much_ effort into it.

Arturia sighed. Thinking about it was giving her a mild headache. Marrying a man she barely knew for the sake of her sister had not seemed such a complicated sacrifice when she had decided to make it.

Nevertheless, as much as she wasn't happy with that new state of things and with how thorny her life was going to be, since it was for Iri and Shirou, she knew she would do it a thousand times over again.

…

*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*

…

She avoided thinking too much about her upcoming marriage. After all, her priorities were looking after Shirou – who had been given leave from school because of his mother's condition – studying for college to finally graduate, and avoiding the reporters.

Iri's conditions were slowly but steadily improving, and each time she had to pay for her treatment, Arturia texted Gilgamesh, letting him know the sum she needed, and within an hour she had the money in her bank account.

She wouldn't have found it strange, if she had not known that he was around the world, and therefore in different time zones. But wondering about it was – once again – not going to produce satisfying results; the important thing was that the contract was being respected, and since it was, nothing else was relevant. Besides, even if she had wanted to, she wouldn't have had the time to _think_ about other things.

She knew that in that period of time Gilgamesh was also taking care of the arrangements of the moving to Japan, because she had been requested to text him Iri and Shirou's personal information as well. She was busy with other things herself.

Her part-time job at his company, for example, was _not_ among the things she had given up. The stares from the people in the offices had reduced and things had gone back to normal after the first several days of suspicious and incredulous looks she had received. Everyone seemed to be somewhat in awe of her and, while it was disconcerting to an extent, it was not a hindrance to her work, therefore Arturia simply made an effort and pretended not to notice.

In fact, aside from the conversations with Enkidu in which he taught her more about Gilgamesh's empire, nothing had changed at her workplace. Since she was learning in those occasions, she did not find anything to complain about them. It was in fact rather refreshing to speak freely – more or less – with someone who knew about her situation.

Speaking of her work, she had been a little puzzled about another specific matter. She had been certain that, after publicly slapping Gilgamesh the way she had, he would fire her right away; instead, he had not, and had not given her a _real_ reason for not doing that.

She decided to enquire with Enkidu about it, as he was the most likely person to be able to give her a truthful answer to such a mystery.

"Enkidu, I have a question. After the… unpleasant public incident… in which my hand made violent contact with his cheek… " She shifted a little. "…why did Gilgamesh not fire me?"

Enkidu scratched his head at her question, his expression trying – and failing – to be unreadable.

"Well, Ria~, you know that you already have a competitor in your future life – Gil is married to his job. He knows he's at the top in his business; to be fair, he is also the best at it, and he knows that as well. Being the best at what he does, he takes care of it, concentrating his efforts in _keeping_ it the best."

Arturia lifted an eyebrow, as what he had just said was obvious.

"I am well aware of this; but what does that have to do with the fact that he didn't fire me?" She stared at him, waiting.

Enkidu smirked, mirth dancing in his strange yellow-grey eyes.

"It has _everything_ to do with it~, Ria. Gil would never fire valuable assets to his company. No matter what you did to offend him, you are an employee whose work is appreciated by him. I can't guess what exactly he would have done if you hadn't accepted his proposal the day after, but I can assure you he wouldn't have fired you."

He stood up, looking at the clock and pretending not to notice the unconvinced expression on her face.

"Gil is coming back from his trip in two days. Since you have work on that day, he will most likely pick you up afterwards. I would recommend wearing something _striking_ ~… after all, it's all for your special fiancée's sake."

With a wink, he was gone.

…

*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*

…

There was less than a month of time before the wedding. Extra lessons in college had ended, Arturia had finished writing her thesis and she was ready to graduate.

Because of the large media attention around the engagement, she had managed to talk with the headmaster privately and persuaded him to let her graduate one day earlier. If she took part to the final ceremony, there was going to be a massive amount of reporters present, concentrated on her, and it wouldn't have been fair towards the other students.

The interest of the media had increased after Gilgamesh had come back from his oversea trip, because he and Arturia had let themselves be seen together in public more often.

The first thing they had done, on the first occasion he had been in the US for a few days, was sign the completed, printed copies of the contract, whose full contents were going to be known only by the two of them. Once that was done, social engagements took over.

When there were college events, they went there only for a brief appearance, but they both went; when there was an announcement or the other for Uruk Enterprises, both of them were present once again. There were no more official press conferences though, because Arturia divided her time between little Shirou, studying, and work; and Gilgamesh had already said all he needed to say on the day in which he had announced the engagement.

He had been blunt and decisive as usual with the media; he had made it clear that he was going to move to Japan with his wife right after the wedding, and therefore he had tersely replied to the reporters' questions that that was the reason for which there was going to be no honeymoon.

At work, whenever he and Arturia were present on the same day, he went to her small office as soon as working hours were over and drove her to the hospital with the limousine. She allowed him to pull her close when they walked to the building, but they never exchanged many words on those occasions.

Only once did they talk a little. She was stressed, having handed in her thesis a mere few hours before, after a sleepless night of final revising, and on that day work had been particularly demanding.

To her surprise, he seemed to notice, and for some reason he attempted to be moderately polite, inquiring on how her 'lessons' with Enkidu were proceeding.

She was a little startled, but answered him with sufficient composure nonetheless.

"As we agreed, Enkidu is describing me the inner workings of Uruk Enterprises in more detail and he is giving me advice on the world of high-class people."

Gilgamesh snorted, making a small movement with his hand, as if he wanted to chase a fly away.

"Did he give you the guest list for the wedding?"

She shook her head slightly, and he clicked his tongue, disdainfully. "Remind him of it."

Seeing the look she was giving him and knowing that it was because of his arrogant and commanding tone, he sighed and made the effort to amend, "I would give it to you myself, but I won't be here next week, and you need to be familiar with the names of the people who are going to attend the ceremony."

Since her gaze was questioning, he felt somewhat compelled to continue, even though he would not have done it for anyone else. He refused to ponder over that odd fact.

"With most of the guests, nothing more than cold politeness is required. But among them there are some specific people you should be wary of, and you have to be on your guard when talking to them. They should be treated with suitable detachment; while no real threat, they are ludicrously obtuse, and could therefore cause problems with the press."

She raised an eyebrow. Why was he warning her in such a manner and why right now?

He seemed to read her mind – as he was doing with increasing and almost frightening frequency lately – and replied, "The wedding is in three weeks. We will not have many occasions to discuss these minor yet important details anymore."

He leaned back in the car, looking mildly thoughtful. "What matters is that, when you talk with those scavengers, you don't let yourself be unsettled but maintain a firm demeanour. Never use first names, not even when explicitly asked to. It's my policy in business, and makes sure that most schemers are kept at adequate distance."

For the first time that day, his eyes actually met hers; the look in them was supercilious, but much less than usual.

"In any case, you probably don't even need to be told these things. None of those self-proclaimed rich people has anything worthy of intimidating you. After all, I am supposed to be– in fact, I _am_ the most influential person _on the planet_ , and you still slapped me. I believe you to be capable of handling yourself in the midst of those lowly sharks, Arturia."

While she was not fooled by that veiled compliment, she did appreciate the fact that he – quite surprisingly – gave her some credit.

She frowned briefly, observing him. This kind of behaviour was not normal for him. Her next words were completely unplanned, but she couldn't really fault herself for them: the question she asked was a spontaneous and legitimate one.

"You are being an _almost_ agreeable person today, Gilgamesh. Are you sick?"

He gave her a glare, affronted. When he was being his normal self, she talked back to him and told him he was unbearably arrogant. When he made a conscious effort to tone down his usual, salacious comments, she _mocked_ him.

What was there to do with this woman? Some wife he was going to have!

His mind came to an abrupt halt. Come to think about it, _why_ was he making an effort in the first place?

It was much better to conclude the car ride in silence. He had a flight to catch a few hours later; it was no use spending the brief time with his future wife in trying to have a reasonable conversation.

He was about to turn his head away from her, when she spoke again.

"Gilgamesh, another question. We are getting married the third Tuesday from today. For what reason did you insist on a _Tuesday_ as the wedding day?"

There went his plan for a silent car ride. He looked at her, a little irritated at having to explain.

"Monday will be the last day of work at the American offices, and I intend to make sure the week starts well, since I won't be here anymore. On Tuesday there will be the ceremony with all the press droning around. The following morning we will take the private plane to Japan, together with your nephew and your sister. The rest of the week we will be free; you can make sure your family gets accustomed to the new country, while I will have enough time to plan ahead on the things that need to be done at Uruk Enterprises. And on the following Monday, we will both go back to work."

Arturia was silent. It was strange for a person like him, whose work was probably among the most important things for him, to keep 'free days'.

Gilgamesh noticed her silence and interpreted it his way. He smirked.

"Even if we don't consummate the marriage, Arturia, we have to give the impression of having _some_ time alone."

Her expression did not change at his comment, since she had imagined that he would say something along those lines, but it wasn't what she had truly been thinking about. On this occasion at least, he had guessed wrong.

What had surprised her was the fact that he was giving her some time to look after her sister and her nephew, without work interfering–

–ah, but of course. Her expression hardened as she understood. It was _only_ because of the contract, nothing else. There was no need to get sentimental merely because he appeared to show consideration towards her.

Right then, the limousine arrived at the hospital. The two betrothed gave each other a relatively formal nod before Arturia stepped out of the car.

They were not friends, after all, and they were not close. There was nothing between them aside from a mere _contract_.

…

*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*

…

Among the other things they needed to talk about during the fleeting times in which they met, she also asked Gilgamesh about a matter she had found curious.

Arturia read the newspaper every time she could and occasionally listened to or watched the news; therefore, she had noticed that his name came up frequently and many invitations had been extended to him – actually, to both of them – to participate to television programs or just to be interviewed.

She knew that he had turned down all the requests, and she wanted to know the reason for it.

"I'm not interested in participating to those things; but I would like to know the reason why you aren't interested in them, either. I believe it would have been beneficial to your business, giving more attention to yourself as well."

She did not attempt to hide the veiled mockery in her words, and he huffed.

"Such public interviews are foolish and worthy only of flashy, inferior mongrels – not of us."

She blinked briefly. Had he just used the _plural_?

She didn't get the chance to ask about it though, because he continued, "In any case, the press would never dare be so forward as to demand trivial things like conferences with both of us, or actually try to complicate things only because we refuse."

She raised an eyebrow and stared at him. She hesitated for a second, and then decided to speak.

"Although my opinion doesn't usually concern you, I will have to disagree, Gilgamesh. One can never be careful enough, especially with the media. It's true that this specific matter probably isn't what can be considered dangerous, but I believe you might be underestimating them a little. They are the ones who sway the public opinion, and the public's decisions are the ones that ultimately assure your company's prosperity."

He did not give her a reply aside from a very odd look, a mix between barely controlled annoyance and actual pensiveness, before dismissing the matter and going back to her family and the persistent curiosity of the press towards them.

On that at least, she could firmly give him reassurances that everything had been settled.

At the hospital and around it, since she practically lived there, some rumours had begun to rise. Arturia had however been swift in putting things straight, and without lying more than necessary.

When she had gone to sign the forms for her sister's discharge and subsequent move to Japan, one of the nurses had been so bold as to inquire about her constant presence there, asking her about not spending more time with her fiancée.

Her reply had been terse.

"My future husband is very attentive and makes sure I spend time with my sister and nephew now that their conditions are particularly delicate."

It was the truth, even though she had omitted the fact that it was because of a contract that he was being so _attentive_.

For good measure, she had added with a forced smile, "He is very understanding."

That was such a huge lie that, aside from despising herself for having to say such a thing – it was merely to stop the rumours – Arturia wondered how she had actually managed to keep a straight face while uttering it.

…

*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*

…

For the upcoming wedding, Arturia had to memorize the entire guest list. It would have been quite easy and bland if it had been just a number of names to learn by heart, but that wasn't exactly the case.

Enkidu showed up at her office with his usual wide grin and a large binder in his arms. There were names, pictures and more than just basic personal information of all the people invited to the wedding, and he spent quite some time going through them with her.

Arturia found it both challenging and amusing to learn all she could about those unknown, rich and high-class people, because Enkidu supplied comments on each and every one of them. They were often humorous, such as the ones on Iskandar Velvet – whom she knew – but they were sometimes more serious, too, such as on Medea Caster-Kuzuki or the Fraga McRemitz family – whom she didn't know. All those interjections from him were mainly to make sure she knew which ones were business associates and which ones weren't, but she couldn't help suspecting that he also did it to help her in the task of memorizing them all.

It was a little puzzling, to be fair. Enkidu was Gilgamesh's best friend and she knew that he had been asked by him to more or less 'shield her from the media' while he was not there; but that did not mean that he had to express such genuine warmth towards her.

His behaviour reminded her a little of her own towards her sister Iri. He was behaving as if he was some form of elder brother to her; he was truly, unaffectedly caring towards her.

He even gave her advice on how to address the society's vultures as well, pointing out the same things Gilgamesh had already mentioned during the car ride. Aside from never using first names, it was important to always be polite but – again – firm. She was going to be the wife of one of the richest people on the planet; her behaviour would reflect on him, and she could not let herself be intimidated, no matter what.

Arturia sighed. After several hours of going through the names of all the people she would meet, she was getting a little weary. Seeing her tired state, Enkidu, with his ever-present smile, only nodded encouragingly.

She decided it was time to take a brief pause though, especially because she had something she wanted to address briefly.

"I know that Gilgamesh considers all these things trifling, but if he is so worried about me ruining his image, he could have put his personal effort into this."

Enkidu looked at her quizzically.

"But he _is_ doing just that, Ria. Even when he is not present, there are many people he pays who look after your wellbeing and keep the reporters away from campus and prevent them from going close to your sister's room at the hospital."

Arturia had to force herself not to gape. He really did that? He was taking the contract much more seriously than she had expected.

"He is… actually being serious in keeping the press away from my family?"

She furrowed her brow, mildly impressed and quite confused. If he was being so precise and even _honourable_ in keeping his end of the bargain – then…

She should truly take the contract more seriously herself, even if she was still disbelieving. "I didn't think he would be so… thorough."

Enkidu merely smiled a little.

"You should know that already, Ria, you are going to marry the guy! But aside from the contractual terms, think about how much fun your marriage will be~…"

His smile was huge, ready to fly off his face, and his expression was enraptured.

"You~, the only person who ever managed to put Gil in his place publicly… not only did you survive to tell the tale, but you are also getting _married_ to him, making sure that there will be plenty of interactions between you two, all as spicy and entertaining as the first ones – or even _more_ than that! And to think that _I_ will get to be around to witness your exchanges as much as I want since you _also_ work in my same office…~"

His eyes became faraway and almost misty. "Tell me the truth~… Are you sure that this isn't just a giant birthday gift for _me_?"

Arturia gave him the flattest look she was capable of producing and slammed the binder open once again, leaning back on the interminable list of names. The break they had taken had already been long enough.

As she repeated the things she needed to learn, she made an effort to store them into her memory as quickly as possible. She had her end of the bargain to keep.

After all, if _Gilgamesh_ , of all people, was proving to be capable of taking his commitment seriously, she should not make things difficult for him.

…

*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*

…

The day in which she graduated, right at the moment in which she was walking down the stairs of the main building on campus and going to collect the last of her things before heading back to the hospital, Arturia received a text.

 _On Saturday, wear one of your most elegant outfits. The blue and silver dress would be appropriate. I will pick you up from the hospital to go for the civil registration of the marriage._

She raised an eyebrow. Her future husband was such a _kind_ person. It was already a little difficult to hide her distaste for the man; granted, not that he was completely insufferable, but he certainly did not do anything to help keep things friendly between them with such a text.

Not only was he commanding in tone, but he was also completely oblivious to the fact that receiving that kind of message on her graduation day was doing nothing positive for her mood.

A second later, her phone buzzed while receiving another brief text, again from him.

 _Congratulations on graduating._

She halted in her movement for a second, before resuming walking towards the exit.

Well. That was unexpected.

The tiniest of smiles appeared on her lips, although to anyone looking in her direction in that moment, it would have been imperceptible, and she hesitated only a second before typing an equally brief reply.

 _Thanks_.

…

*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*

…

Together with a pale silver ribbon in her elaborate hairstyle, she _did_ wear the blue and silver dress on the following Saturday, and the small glint in Gilgamesh's eyes as he appeared at the hospital's entrance confirmed to her that he was both pleased and smug about it.

She was aware of the fact that she did not look bad in that outfit, if the admiring and envious stares that followed her were anything to go by, but she could not complain about any of it. She did not like being at the centre of attention, but she had agreed to it the day she had signed the contract.

She had thought about the best way to greet Gilgamesh, and she had decided that, since the contract required kissing, both when in public and when needed, wasn't it most likely _needed_ on the very day in which they would make the marriage official?

Therefore, mentally rolling her eyes at her future husband's vaguely confused expression, she did her best to keep her own face calm and mildly happy as she walked towards where he was standing, near the exit.

No hesitations and no regrets, she told herself firmly.

Coming up to him, she offered him a small smile – one of her fakest, she could _feel_ her cheeks screaming in protest – and leaned towards him, standing on her tiptoes and giving him a kiss.

It was nothing more than a fleeting peck on the lips, but it was enough to be accompanied by the hospital staff's usual _ahhhh_ -ing in the background; keeping herself collected, she walked with him out of the building, arm in arm, making it look like they were standing much closer than they actually were.

Inside the car – it was the limousine because of the important occasion – she had the time to look him over. He was wearing a suit, and the colours of the accessories matched hers; silver and dark blue were the most prominent ones, but a little gold glinted on his cravat nonetheless. Typical of him, she mentally snorted.

The trip was a little longer than usual, which meant that Arturia was at leisure to let her mind wander and reflect.

She did not like falsehood and pretences, and deception did not come easily to her. She knew that she had been lying to herself when she had mentally repeated that it was all for her sister's sake. In many ways, it was the truth, but the fact remained: she had agreed not to a few moments of deception, but to an entire _life_ of it. She had agreed to become a puppet for display and on this day, it would become official, at least on paper.

She couldn't even complain about it, because Gilgamesh was being meticulous in respecting the contract on his end, therefore she had to do the same.

It was indeed for Iri. For Shirou. _For her family_.

But for herself, too.

She may hate what she had compromised on, but she _had_ made a promise, and she _always_ stayed true to her promises.

…

*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*

…

It was actually a much quicker affair than she had expected. They did not have to wait for their turn at all – being Gilgamesh Uruk opened more than one door it seemed – and there was essentially merely paperwork to do, but the clerks and the judge himself filled it in for them, almost frantically.

Most things were formalities, and all she and Gilgamesh had to do was give answers to the people's questions and wait as they wrote them down.

Arturia's turn was first, and she had to give her full name, her date and place of birth, and a long list of personal information. As she waited for the clerks to write everything down, she leaned towards Gilgamesh.

"I thought you wanted Enkidu to be both your best man and your witness."

She herself had already decided not to bother with bridesmaids, as the closest person to her was in a coma and Arturia would have felt reluctant in any case about asking Iri since it was a sham marriage, but she knew that for Gilgamesh it was different.

Correctly understanding her question, he nodded briefly.

"He will be at the public ceremony. There is no need to subject him to this tedious bureaucratic stuff – although I believe he would deserve such a torture, sometimes."

She tried her best not to roll her eyes and took a step to the side as Gilgamesh began to curtly give his personal information as well. She did not pay it much attention, at least until she heard his date of birth.

How curious. He was a few years older than her, and she had already known that; but the day of birth was exactly one day before hers, in August.

It was something she only noticed distractedly though, because her mind was concentrated on something else in that moment.

From this day on, she would no longer be Arturia Pendragon; she was going to be _Arturia Uruk_. She was giving up her freedom, but she was doing it willingly – for love.

Not love for _him_ , of course, but for her family. To give them a better life.

And her own… her own life was not going to too bad, all considered.

She was going to have a person sleeping in her same room, an arrogant and tiresome _male_ person. She was going to have to participate to mundane events and play her role of a wife; but she was also going to have a job she actually liked and complete safety for her family. Moreover, she was going to have time to dedicate to them without being under pressure.

The last thing to do – after the judge had pronounced the necessary words – was sign the wedding papers. Without any other hesitation, she took the pen from Gilgamesh, their fingers brushing briefly, and she wrote her name – or former name – everywhere where it was required, right next to his.

There. All done. In the eyes of the law, she had just gotten married.

It had been surprisingly easy.

As she was giving the pen back to the jittery judge – who was obviously frenzied at having them in his presence – she met Gilgamesh's eyes. And to her surprise, she thought she read satisfaction and a little, just a little, _relief_ in them.

She narrowed her own eyes at him, but she was careful not to let her thoughts show. She waited as the judge, the clerks and even the mayor congratulated them deferentially and, after they left the building, she pulled Gilgamesh close to her. She was cautious enough to make it look like she was kissing him to anyone who might be watching.

In reality, she whispered harshly in his ear, "You thought I was going to back down at the last minute? You thought I would not keep my word?"

There was both cold anger and unfriendly antipathy in her voice, and Gilgamesh did not have a prompt reply as usual. She had been able to read him with almost frightening accuracy.

He composed himself quickly, however, and pulled her close to him as well, his arms surrounding her waist in what looked like an embrace but was actually nothing more than a light contact between them.

Lips next to her cheek, he replied, "I will admit that I did consider it possible for you to have second thoughts. And you can't exactly try to blame me for that."

She stared at him, her eyes, usually very easy to read, for once impossible to discern.

"That's what you think, Gilgamesh. You think you know everything, don't you? Well, you don't. _You don't know me at all_."

She was the first one to break their gaze and pulled away from him to go back to the car.

To play their part, she was going to have to spend the entire day at his mansion, for she obviously could not be playing with her nephew right after getting married, to keep up appearances. Luckily, she had taken a book with her, and she was going to spend the rest of the day in relative peace, while he had told her he had a lot of paperwork he needed to take care of.

If this was how her life was going to be from now on, then being married to an arrogant jerk who had proven to know nothing about her was not going to be too bad.

It was only later, when she was sitting on the couch and flipping through the pages of a novel, that she recalled that she had not thanked him in person for not forgetting about her graduation day. But after considering it carefully, she brushed the thought aside; he had probably only remembered it by chance, and writing her a concise text of congratulations didn't mean he deserved anything more than a brief text back, which she had already sent him anyway.

While there was no need to be overly detached with her husband, there was no need to be overly friendly either.

...

...


	13. Wedding

…

…

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...

They were getting married on Tuesday, in the late morning. On Monday evening, the limousine drove up to the hospital, empty, to pick up Arturia. She was going to stay at a hotel that night, before being accompanied to the church the morning after, where she was going to find her dress, her jewels and a team of experts to make sure she looked absolutely perfect, mainly for the cameras.

Shirou was going to attend the ceremony as well. Arturia had asked one of her colleagues she trusted the most at university if she could keep an eye on him, and she had readily agreed. Therefore, she gave her nephew a kiss on the forehead and stepped into the car.

She was going to be a married woman the next time she would see him. To be fair, she was actually _already_ married, since on Saturday they had signed the documents, but… it was still going to be different.

She was going to marry Gilgamesh Uruk in a public ceremony the following day. There wasn't anything too surprising in it, as she had had enough time to get accustomed to the rather ludicrous idea, therefore she might as well get a good night of sleep.

Remembering that helped her remain calm, and she went to sleep early, pushing all her thoughts out of her mind and closing her eyes peacefully.

After all, it was going to be over before she knew it.

And as it happened, before she knew it, it was already morning and both she and Gilgamesh were in different rooms next to the church, getting ready for the wedding.

…

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GILGAMESH

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…

Gilgamesh, wearing the very elegant and classy black suit he had personally selected with a small blue rose on his chest – it would match the decorations on his bride-to-be's dress – looked around the room, without actually registering anything of what he was seeing.

Enkidu had left, luckily. While his best friend would always be his best friend, Gilgamesh did not have the patience for his cheerfulness on this day, and especially not in this specific moment.

He was immersed in deep thoughts.

In a few minutes, Arturia Pendragon was publicly going to become his wife.

As candidate, she was more than impeccably suitable, he was perfectly aware of that, and, aesthetically, she was truly a beauty; however, he would not have agreed to marry her, not even under pressure, not even if she had been a thousand times more beautiful, if she had not… _fascinated_ him so much.

The problem that was currently afflicting him was that he could not pinpoint _what_ about her fascinated him so.

Her devotion to her family? Commendable, probably, but not particularly surprising for her character. As he had already mused, aesthetics were not it, even though she was admittedly very attractive. Her stubbornness? _Definitely_ amusing, and he had been able to enjoy it especially on their shopping outing.

But… those weren't the reasons he found her fascinating.

He had after all proposed to her; while he had indeed been under pressure to find a wife, he had _wanted_ to propose to her.

He almost snorted. Pondering over what had possessed him the moment he had decided to propose to her was of no use; what mattered was that he was _actually_ marrying the woman to whom he had proposed.

And that was even though he was well aware of the fact that she had accepted only out of desperation, only because she needed the money, and because she had not had any other way of getting it.

However, he knew that she was not marrying him for the money _per se_. While the two of them clearly did not get along perfectly – quite the understatement, they were simply too confrontational for that, or rather, _she_ was too hostile – they did have a few things as common ground. What was actually interesting was the fact that she did not want his money for herself; she wanted to save her sister and give her nephew a future.

Not once, not even _once_ had she thought of herself in anything involving the money.

He had also seen that she felt guilty about that whole state of affairs. She felt guilty for using his money, although it was exactly what they had agreed on, in exchange for her becoming his wife.

He could not deny that he _could_ feel some vague attempt of sympathy for her. Granted, she was getting someone like _himself_ as husband, and that was quite a lot. Of course, her annoying abnegation was not going to let her see things in that light, and he knew that she did not love him, much less like him.

With a part of that, he could actually empathize. Because he did not love her either.

She was fascinating, but that was as far as his interest in her went. He knew that there was no one who could ever make _him_ fall in love, and that was without considering the fact that love was nothing but a dream for the foolish.

Therefore, to conclude that somewhat unwelcome line of thought, the deduction was that they were both getting married to people they did not love nor cared about.

Well, it was actually for the best. They were both going to get advantages from it, and that was all. There was no _need_ for anything else.

He had never wanted a wife in the first place, and only the necessity of one to have a positive impact on his business was the reason he was in this specific room on this specific day. Otherwise, he probably would never have graced Arturia with even one glance of his.

He had to stop in his thoughts at that. Only because he was alone and with nothing better to do, he forced himself to reconsider, because it was _not_ true that he wouldn't have noticed her if he hadn't been looking for a wife.

She was not exactly _special_ , that was true. However, he could recognize that she had qualities that made her fair and honourable; she had kept her end of the bargain admirably, at least until this moment, and that _did_ make her stand out.

While he was bestowing a great honour on her by allowing her to become his wife, the life of a person married to him, him, the richest man in the world… was unquestionably not going to be easy. He was very reluctant to admit it to himself, but that did not make it any less true. It was going to be especially hard for someone like her, who clearly detested being at the centre of attention unless she had a clear purpose for it.

In her new role, she would suffer – there was no doubt about that.

Gilgamesh felt something unpleasant in his chest at the thought and resisted the urge to scoff out loud. He was not the unfeeling person Enkidu had sometimes jokingly accused him of being, and he most certainly was not living in a stronghold of arrogance, as his mother had once told him when exasperated. He _did_ care, even if sometimes only for the sake of appearances.

And in the case at present, it meant that he would decide–

Yes.

He would not let Arturia be miserable.

As her husband, he would make sure she did not suffer. She had agreed to his terms; he could deign himself to recognize her efforts by making her life easier from now on. Admittedly, he had teased her mercilessly until this moment; he had enjoyed doing it mainly because that stubbornness of hers was incredibly amusing, but maybe he had indeed exaggerated a few times.

Arturia would not love him, and he did not want her to love him; he had no need for something like that. Nor would _he_ give love to her, as that was not necessary – nor possible – either. He did not intend to get _love_ from this marriage. He would simply have her as his wife, and that gave him enough satisfaction.

But of one thing he could and would make sure: she was not going to regret her decision. She was not going to regret making a contract with him and becoming his wife; he would not allow her to be frustrated or miserable enough to wish their union did not happen.

That was something that was not only in his power to do, but was also among the least troubling things he would _need_ to do in order for their marriage to work. It was going to be perfect as far as the press was concerned, certainly, but it was going to assure him a reasonably dignified personal relationship with the woman he was going to live with.

That was all.

He glanced at the small clock on the wall. It was almost time.

Strangely not finding himself bored at having had to wait for so long – he had had enough thoughts to keep him occupied in the meantime – he checked that the present he had to give to his soon-to-be wife before the reception was ready, and then went to the door.

He almost smirked at the irony of it: he was not going as a guest to the umpteenth wedding of some mongrel, he was the one actually getting married.

Usually, before leaving a room to go to an important event, people look at themselves in the mirror; Gilgamesh Uruk had no need for such a thing.

He already knew that his appearance was perfect.

…

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...

ARTURIA

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…

Even though it was something she rarely did, Arturia looked at herself in the mirror, carefully examining her reflection.

Her long blonde hair was unbound, cascading over her shoulders, although some locks had been braided to have them go around her head in an elegant crown-of-sorts, with her husband's golden jewels woven in the midst of it. Her golden natural colour shone more than usual and, as she and Gilgamesh had agreed, she had no veil covering her.

Even though white was not the colour that suited her best, she had never looked more beautiful in her entire life.

In fact, she looked young, elegant, stunning, and–… no, she did not look happy.

She could not stop the single tear that suddenly escaped her eyes, the true heaviness of her choice hitting her in full force.

There was no helping it: for the good of Gilgamesh's business image, the event had to be a grand one. And in the contract, she had promised to do all she could to be truly a 'wife' in the eyes of the public.

She had _agreed_ to it. That was the reason she was in this room on this day, and that was the reason she was looking at herself in the mirror, somewhat sad, somewhat worried.

She was not feeling at ease about the motives for the marriage; she was after all getting married to a man she did not like nor love, solely for the money. Not only was _she_ aware of it; _he_ was as well.

She had however chosen to go down that path with her eyes open; she had known what she was getting into, and she was therefore going to face it.

The blonde woman had not attended many wedding ceremonies. The last one she had attended had been her sister's, and it had been a very simple and quiet moment, a brief but heartfelt exchange of Kiritsugu and Iri's vows and it had already been over. In her case, it was not going to be that simple, nor that easy.

True enough, as she reminded herself once again, she had _chosen_ to marry the man; she had not been forced into it. She had made her decision a long time before, on her own, and she would not change her mind, not even if she could.

That did not mean however that she couldn't feel the burning desire to just rip that absolutely bewitching dress off herself and run away from there.

Yet no matter how badly she wished to do such a thing, she would _never_ actually do it.

Firmly, she took a tissue from the nearby table and dried the single tear on her cheek carefully. Her light make-up was waterproof, and the salty water had not ruined anything. She shook herself mentally. Instead of being unreasonable, she should look at the positives, because there _were_ positives.

She stood a little straighter. Even though she had not woken up from the coma yet, Iri was much better, and the unborn baby had been confirmed to be healthy. Little Shirou was very happy to hear that his mother's conditions were improving, and he had been allowed to attend the wedding ceremony. A trusted colleague from university was going to look after him in church, and Arturia was actually glad about the fact that her nephew would be there.

Other positives were that the wedding would not last the whole day; after the ceremony, there was going to be the reception, that was true, but it was mingled with the lunch, and after meeting all the guests, they were free to go, since their flight for Japan was departing in the late evening.

Another bonus was the fact that she would not have to consummate the marriage. She almost smirked in resented satisfaction at recalling Gilgamesh's sullen expression when she had firmly told him that she refused to sleep with him.

This whole nonsense with the wedding was going to be over soon; in a matter of hours, she would take the plane with her _husband_ , and little Shirou would be with them. Iri was instead going to have a special way of travelling, mainly because it was slightly complicated to transport a comatose, pregnant woman, and she would arrive one day later, with the best possible medical service at her disposal. Gilgamesh had made sure of that himself, and that was something she was grateful for.

She disliked the man who was going to be her husband, but she had to remember that, even though she had never attempted to hide her distaste for him, he _had_ made more than one effort to be considerate with her.

Just a short while before, she had accidentally found out from Enkidu that Gilgamesh actively kept a lot of media attention away from her; he energetically shielded her and her family from it, and that had confused her, because it was a little more than what the contract required.

Since she was apparently in the mood for being completely honest – at least with herself – she had to remember that no matter how hard it had been for her to make the decision of getting married, Gilgamesh had not had to face a much easier situation.

While he was undoubtedly an arrogant person, she had not been the most courteous either. She had not been nice to him – she had not made any efforts to be pleasant towards the man with whom she was going to share her life.

She had to remember that he was not marrying her out of love either; he was marrying her for the good of his image. While it was unquestionably an arrogant and selfish decision, Arturia could find it in herself to feel bad for him. He wasn't going to get any love out of it.

She was marrying him for the money, after all, so she understood.

With all the things she could find to complain about him – and all with good reason – he did not seem to be a dishonourable person; yet since he was a rich businessman, he did not have the possibility to marry for love. Because of the social pressure, he had chosen to marry her as the lesser evil, and she had accepted.

Those were the premises. She could and _should_ make an effort to get along with him, or at least find some sort of truce. It would be a difficult married life for her – admittedly, just making such considerations was difficult – but it would be hard for him as well. She ought not to forget that. She could, at the very least, try to make things bearable for both of them.

First things first. If she kept the positive aspects in mind, she could probably survive the day.

No, not probably. She _would_.

Looking at her reflection in the mirror one last time, Arturia forced herself to smile.

It was time to go – and get married.

Next to the entrance of the church, she waited for Enkidu, since he was the one who was going to give her away. The faint perfume coming from the orange flowers in her elegant bouquet did little to calm her, but it was enough to divert her attention for a while. She was distractedly glad that amidst the beautiful blue hydrangeas and white lilies there were orange roses as well, as they were her favourite flower.

When he appeared at her side with his usual trademark grin in place, she stood a little taller and took his offered arm with ease.

She would just be getting a prideful roommate, together with the means to heal her sister, all surrounded by nosy paparazzi for a good part of the day. That was all.

There was no need to be apprehensive about it.

…

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...

MAIN

...

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…

To Arturia, the wedding remained surprisingly as quite a blur in her mind; she could not remember the details, not even if she wanted to.

Well, that wasn't entirely true. If she focused, she could remember a few things.

She recalled the press; there were quite a few photographers and journalists, but she knew that Enkidu – and she suspected Gilgamesh himself – had made sure they all kept a respectable distance.

She recalled seeing many of her college classmates, among which there was the colleague who had agreed to look after Shirou, and who was smiling at her with her nephew held up in her arms, so that he could watch her from afar.

She recalled the small boy loudly exclaiming, as she neared the altar of the church, "You look so _beautiful_ , Auntie Ria!", and how that had made many people turn their heads in his direction and the reporters go crazy.

That commotion about it had made sure that no one noticed how her nephew's words had actually given her courage. She had unconsciously needed them to take the last few steps in a steady way and calm her beating heart enough to meet Gilgamesh's crimson eyes with a collected expression on her face and an actual small – _very_ small – smile on her lips.

She had then distantly noticed how the media attention had exploded in that moment, because flashes had gone off repeatedly, but she had ignored them to keep her green eyes firmly on her husband-to-be.

And he… he had looked so composed.

Strangely, the usual arrogance that she had come to consider a permanent feature on his face was not present. His countenance was serious, that was true, but the look in his eyes… it definitely wasn't arrogant.

Staring at him, she had still kept smiling, and she was aware of the fact that it had prompted the reporters to start taking pictures once again, but she was certain that the look on his face had played a part in it, too.

There was a tiny, tiny little bit of something in his expression that she couldn't quite place.

Perhaps… perhaps it was because she was on her wedding day, at the centre of attention – a situation she _did not like_ to be in – deceiving everyone into thinking that she was happy, and because she knew that what she was doing was for her sister's sake and that was something that was helping her feel better…

…but maybe… whatever the true reason was… she had had the distinct impression that there had been something… _gentle_ in his eyes when he had stared at her.

Then they had both looked away, as was considered proper, and the ceremony had begun.

Before she had even taken real notice of it, the moment of the vows had already arrived. She had closed her heart and forced herself to endure it.

"Do you, Gilgamesh Enlil, take Arturia Igraine to be your lawfully wedded wife…?"

She had heard Gilgamesh's steady reply, and then it had already been her turn. She had not even heard the minister's voice, she had simply pronounced the words she was supposed to pronounce mechanically, and it had been over.

The kiss moment had indeed been there, but it had been brief, and it had just been a chaste touch of his lips on hers, almost imperceptible and only for the press's sake, something for which she had felt grateful and relieved. She knew she had agreed to it in the contract – she could not _count_ the number of times she had been repeating that to herself – but she was glad that he had not made the situation more uncomfortable than it already was.

That had actually been all, and it had surprised her when Gilgamesh had taken her hand to walk out of the church, because she had not even noticed that it was already over. She had been spacing out quite a bit.

Together, they had stepped into the limousine waiting for them and spent the car ride in complete silence. At the luxurious hotel in which the reception was taking place, before going to a separate room to change into her other dress, Arturia had found a small box pressed into her hand, and looked up at him with an eyebrow raised in question.

"It's a family heirloom. Wear it for the reception," was all he had said, and she had given him only a short nod in reply.

She remembered that her hair had gotten slightly stuck in her wedding dress when she had been taking it off, therefore she had decided to change the hairstyle. Swiftly, as she wore her reception dress and the new jewel he had given her – a golden necklace with minuscule rubies all over it – she had pinned her hair up in an elegant updo, leaving a few locks out to frame her face. She had found that the new hairstyle was also an excellent way to draw attention to her new necklace, which was something that was presumably good for her image as the wife of one of the most influential people on the planet.

The rest of the public event left her memory quite quickly. All she had had to do was remain on Gilgamesh's arm and politely greet countless people, all of whom she recognized from the photos she had studied with Enkidu.

Afterwards, they were finally able to leave to go to a classy hotel room near the airport. It was more like a suite than a room, but it was for the best in her opinion; it had actually two large beds and a wooden curtain to divide the room into two separated spaces.

That was where she was in that moment. It was the end of the day, and she closed the curtain, making sure _he_ was on the other side of it.

She sat down on her bed and sighed quietly.

"Weddings are incredibly tiring. I very much hope I will never have to go through anything similar again."

On the other side of the room, he chuckled lightly, and she heard him sit down on his own bed.

"I very much doubt you will have to, Arturia." She could hear the amusement in his voice as well. "I am assuming I can't tempt you to sleep with me tonight?"

Her reply was suave, dismissive and quite casual, as she stood up to go to the bathroom where she would brush her teeth.

"No, you really _can't_. Not tonight, not ever."

After returning to the room, she slowly started to change into the more comfortable travelling clothes that were next to her, before speaking up again. He could not see her and she could not see him, but not having his constantly mocking blood red eyes piercing her would make the talking easier.

"Gilgamesh, Enkidu had already told me, and today I noticed as well… You truly kept the media attention away from me." She prepared herself to pronounce the following words, because it was difficult. "I don't approve of you as a person, but that doesn't mean that I am without eyes. And…" it was obviously even more difficult for her to say such words, and he was aware of it without needing to see her, "…I am grateful for what you did. It was… kind of you."

She could _sense_ him raise an eyebrow, and she relented, "Fine. It was almost _considerate_ of you."

He chuckled again, and strangely, there seemed to be a little warmth in it.

"You are amusing, dear wife," was his unflattering remark.

Her eyes narrowed. She was glad he was not visible to her so that she did not need to see his haughtiness, but she was also disappointed, because she could not glare at him.

"You, instead, are _not_."

On his side of the room, Gilgamesh smirked. He could not say he wasn't entertained. They had reached the point where they could have their usual biting conversations even when they were not in direct sight of each other.

While it could be annoying to an extent, it was actually positive. He needed a wife who could be suitable for his image, and if she had been a meek and submissive woman with no personality, well, then it wouldn't have exactly been what he needed.

He had married a woman with fire; it was important that she kept that fire in her alive, or she would not be of any use to him. That was all he needed from her, after all.

Unaware of his thoughts, Arturia curtly wished her _husband_ a good night and finally lay down on the bed, to rest for at least a little while.

She was tired, but she did not have much time. Their flight was going to depart in a mere few hours, and that was also when she would pick up Shirou. Her colleague from college was still looking after him, and she had agreed to meet her at the airport with the boy in tow. Arturia hoped he was already asleep.

It would make for a funny scene: a couple of newlyweds taking a plane with a child who wasn't theirs instead of going on a honeymoon. She had to suppress a small smile.

Well, the fact that she could smile about it meant that this long day had probably not been as unpleasant as she had feared.

...

...


	14. Morning

…

…

...

...

It would have been much better if the flight had been spent in silence. Much, much better.

But Arturia should have realized sooner that, with Gilgamesh, it wasn't going to be the case. After all, she had just _gotten married_ to the man; she really should have known how exasperating he could be.

She still had trouble believing it: she was his wife. She was Gilgamesh's wife. _Gilgamesh_ 's wife. Yet it was reality.

Her plan had been to sleep through the long flight, especially considering the fact that they were on a private plane and little Shirou was present too. He had already been sleeping by the time the plane departed and she had brought him to his bed, before going back to the seats she and Gilgamesh were supposed to occupy.

She had had every intention of drifting off to sleep as well and spending that time in peaceful silence. She had _not_ had the intention of ending up scowling at her husband.

He commented on the lack of quality champagne on the flight, and she kept quiet. He then disdainfully pointed out that the décor of the plane was not suitable for his tastes; Arturia would have had a reply ready, but once again, she kept her mouth closed.

But after another ten remarks in that same tone of his, she lost her patience because of the overwhelming irritation he was provoking in her.

"Gilgamesh, please enlighten me. What would it take for you to _shut up_?"

His expression held some not-so-subtle triumph, and she realized too late that her addressing him was _exactly_ what he had wanted. She almost groaned. He was impossible!

In truth, Gilgamesh was bored. The flight was long, and he did not feel like sleeping in that moment. The small crew was being smart and giving the newlyweds some privacy, but that also meant that he had nothing to do – nor anyone to torment – to entertain himself.

After all, while observing people could occasionally be amusing, they were so easy to read and within a short while, they reverted back to being inexpressibly boring. The only person around right now was his brand-new wife.

Admittedly, she had been more difficult to read, but he was beginning to see and understand more of her: what characterized her the most was her loyalty to her family. Not particularly original, he mused.

But she had not bored him yet – that was true, and it was in her favour. Therefore, since they were trapped in a flight for several hours, the task of entertaining him fell on her shoulders.

It was actually working splendidly. After finally addressing him, she had immediately realized that he had been aiming for a reaction from her, and she was most likely cursing herself mentally. He gave her one of his usual arrogant smirks.

She scowled at him. She was irritated and she was tired, and she did not really contemplate the implications of her words as she spoke.

"You are always the quintessence of arrogance, Gilgamesh. I don't know what I was _thinking_ when I agreed to marry you."

His reply was, unsurprisingly, blunt – but the contents of the reply were surprising.

"You were thinking of your sister instead of yourself, Arturia, and while that can be admirable to a certain degree, you have willingly put yourself in this situation you dislike."

She stared at him, before tilting her head to the side and narrowing her eyes.

"You know the reason I married you."

It sounded like a question, and he looked at her in mild curiosity before giving her a reply.

"Of course I do."

"Then you are a fool, Gilgamesh."

He raised an eyebrow. The insult was not like her – it was uttered too unemotionally.

She continued, calmly, "You enjoy having me around because you consider me someone you can make fun of constantly. But you'll wake up soon." Her voice was astonishingly gentle. "I can almost feel bad for you, Gilgamesh. It won't be pretty to realize that, aside from making remarks on me and observing my reactions to them, there is nothing else you can get from someone like me. After all… all I want is the money for my sister and nephew. Anything else about you doesn't matter to me."

His eyes widened only for a fraction of a second before he managed to get his usual expression back in place, therefore she was not able to see the effect of her words. She simply turned away from him, found a comfortable position in her seat and closed her eyes, preparing to spend the following hours finally with some peace and quiet, and possibly with some sleep.

Gilgamesh's gaze lingered on her for quite some time.

She had taken him by surprise by correctly guessing what his objective was, and had broken him off immediately by throwing the truth of their situation right in his face. He could not chase away the unpleasant sensation that he had brought this upon himself.

He had – once again – underestimated her.

Only a few hours before, when it had been time to begin the wedding ceremony, he had taken the resolution of making an effort to be considerate towards his future wife; and there he was, already going against what he had decided simply because he thought it amused him.

Yet she had torn his purposes to shreds, probably without even realizing it.

 _She was something else_ , he had to admit it.

He suppressed a sigh. This meant that he had no choice but to take a nap as well, since the only other option was either be bored or get lost in his thoughts, and neither sounded particularly appealing.

…

*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*

…

When they landed in Japan, Arturia woke up Shirou and left the airport with him and Gilgamesh. She did not spare the large house she was going to live in a glance, and asked her husband to indicate her a place where her nephew could sleep. Without a word, he indicated a guest room where she put the little boy to bed, and then he escorted her to his – _their_ – bedroom.

She had not looked at the house, or rather, mansion, when they had landed, mostly because she did not care in that moment. He had already informed her of the fact that the staff was going to arrive only on the following day, bringing them their entire luggage, and she would then have leisure to explore the place.

As soon as she was in her new bedroom – the bedroom she was going to share with _him_ from now on – Arturia made sure a specific part of the contract was respected. The bed in the middle of the room was not an actual double bed, but it could in fact be separated, and she immediately pushed the beds apart.

Politely, she looked at him to determine which one of the two beds he preferred, but he only smirked at her.

"Be my guest, Arturia."

She rolled her eyes and chose one of the beds, on which she put her travel bag. She looked around, taking everything in.

It was quite the spacious room. There were two bedside tables, two cupboards, two large closets – and between them there was a safe built in the wall – a few chairs, a full-size mirror and a long table next to the entrance. There was also a fridge in one corner, next to a door that presumably led to the bathroom.

Again, she looked at Gilgamesh, and it was his turn to roll his eyes.

"Stop being so formal. Just use the bathroom if you so desire and, if you're so worried, lock the door – there's a key for a reason."

She did not give him an annoyed glare, but she was tempted. Very much tempted.

She did indeed lock the door behind her after setting foot in the shining bathroom, and then she leaned against it. She took a deep breath.

It was not going to be easy, sharing such close quarters with Gilgamesh. But she had thought about it, and had surmised that, if she was careful, she _was_ going to manage this particularly uncomfortable part of the marriage contract.

During the day, they were both going to be busy with other matters; between work and the time she wanted to dedicate to her family, it was very unlikely they would share more than a few minutes in each other's company. She imagined that, with their full schedules, in the evenings they were going to be tired – or at least, _she_ was certainly going to be – and therefore would just want to sleep, not giving too much thought to the fact that they shared a bedroom with someone else.

It was of course entirely possible that she was being too optimistic. As she leaned away from the door to look around the large and luxurious bathroom, she considered that perhaps she needed something more drastic to keep some peace of mind.

Taking one of the towels ready to be used and turning on the hot water of the shower, she decided on something else: she was going to sleep with her head turned away from him. It was probably a childish decision on her part, but she did not care; as long as it helped her deal with her almost surreal situation, anything would do.

When she came out of the bathroom, she went to put away the few things she had in her cupboard and closet. Most of her clothes were going to arrive on the following day, therefore she did not have too many things aside from her travelling outfit, which she carefully folded and put on a chair. She was going to have to speak with the staff, to understand how the managing of the house worked, because she wasn't too keen on having strangers handling her personal belongings.

As she was finishing her tasks, Gilgamesh came out of the bathroom as well, with only a towel tied around his waist and wearing nothing else.

Instinctively, she tensed up. Unpleasant, suspicious thoughts swirled through her mind, even as her eyes were tempted to linger on him – or rather, on his exposed chest.

She was alone in an unfamiliar house with a man she barely knew and who was not dressed. Anyone in their right state of mind would have felt uneasy in such a situation.

She didn't even realize that she had taken a few immediate steps away from him – but _he_ did.

He scoffed at her edginess.

"Arturia, this is ridiculous. I expected you to get used to things more quickly." She was staying as far away from him as possible and, rigidly, was about to take another step back. "Don't behave like a scared child. I won't do anything to you, and as nothing has seemed to be able to scare you until now, I doubt there's anything in this situation you could fear."

She was not very reassured and he noticed that, because he visibly held back a sigh. Taking up some of his garments, he disappeared inside the bathroom again, soon to come out clothed.

Arturia made sure she did not exhale, but she was not really able to conceal her relief. He would have probably made remarks on it, if he hadn't seen her expression change in a quite curious way. She was staring at his attire and the emotions that were flickering across her face were not of the kind he had seen before.

In truth, she was very much taken aback by his pyjamas. He was wearing quite simple dark pants and a casual sweater of the same colour.

She could not stop herself from asking, "Is that what you wear for night time?"

He narrowed his eyes at her. He had not missed the slight incredulity in her tone.

"Are there any objections?"

She only smirked a little, amused by the way he was getting irritated.

"Isn't that attire a little too simple and… _plebeian_ for your usual expensive tastes, Gilgamesh?"

He narrowed his eyes even more at the mirth in her voice, before suddenly smirking as well.

"Well, I have deigned to wear this lowly kind of garments out of consideration for the fact that you sleep in the same room, Arturia."

By his tone, she knew she was walking into a trap; she knew, but she asked anyway.

"Oh? What do you usually wear for sleeping?"

He grinned widely, his blood red eyes holding satisfaction as they glinted deviously.

" _Nothing_."

She was glad that she narrowly managed not to blush, and sent a glare in his general direction.

" _Good night_ , Gilgamesh."

Arturia pulled her bedcovers and finally lay down underneath them, turning her head away from him as she had decided earlier. The mattress was much softer and more comfortable than she had expected, as were the sheets, and she felt the heaviness of the events of the past hours beginning to weigh down on her – the wedding, the flight, the exhausting conversations with the man who was now her husband…

She was asleep before she even realized it, and therefore did not notice how Gilgamesh turned off the lights, and did not hear him mutter something in her direction that sounded suspiciously like 'good night'.

…

*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*

…

In the morning, when she woke up after a dreamless night of sleep, Arturia's neck already hurt because of the unfamiliar position her head had been in, but she refused to pay it any heed; she was stubborn enough to endure the discomfort.

Looking at her husband's side of the room, she saw that his bed was empty. She heard the water running in the bathroom, which meant that he was likely taking a shower. Feeling rested and strangely full of energy, she got up and, immediately feeling cold, pulled a robe out of the cupboard, where she had put it away the evening before. It was quite chilly for being July, Arturia thought, at least until her eyes fell on the clock on her bedside table.

It wasn't even six in the morning. Of course it was going to be quite cool, and they must have woken up so early because of the jet lag. The next thought that went through her mind was that Shirou must have woken up as well, and in a few hours Iri's plane was going to land.

She was about to go check on her nephew, but then she recalled a part of the agreement and, sighing, pushed the two separated beds back together. She could not say she was happy about it, but she had to respect the contract. She left the room with a displeased frown on her face.

It was a bit difficult for her to remember the location of his bedroom, having never lived – or just _been_ – in this mansion before, but she forced her mind to go back to the previous evening, doing her best to recall the number of rooms and corridors she had passed. She was rewarded when she managed to locate the place correctly.

To her relief, Shirou was still deep asleep. He had moved under the covers, and half his side was exposed to the cool air of the morning. With a small smile, she went to tuck him back, taking her time to make sure he was warm and comfortable. Going around the room, she found a desk with chancellery on it; she decided to write Shirou a message, because she did not want him to go wander around the mansion and get lost. She briefly sketched the corridor he had to take to go to the main hall at the entrance of the house, which she recalled quite vividly. Then, with one last glance at the peacefully sleeping face of the young boy, next to which she put her note, she quietly left the room.

As she turned around after closing the door, she almost startled at finding Gilgamesh behind her, his usual arrogant expression in place. Obviously, not having found her in their room, he had guessed where she had gone and had followed her.

He was staring at her quite intently, his eyes promising her that, in spite of the early hour, he was fully ready to start teasing her right away.

She did not shift from her position, but simply directed her husband a civil nod.

"Good morning, Gilgamesh."

He was already dressed, she noticed, and he returned her nod, before informing her of the fact that all their belongings were already there, while the staff was going to arrive at eight o'clock. He told her that breakfast hours, lunch hours and dinner hours were all going to be decided on this day, together with the division of house duties. Afterwards, as the servants unpacked their things, she could go to the hospital, since her sister was going to be brought there directly.

Arturia wasn't overly fond of some of the arrangements that were being made, but she was reasonable enough, at least at such an early hour in the morning, to not start an argument with him over things that they could maybe discuss later. He took her by surprise when he then invited her – actually _invited_ , not ordered, even if it was obvious that it was something he was not accustomed to do – to have breakfast.

Gilgamesh guided her to the kitchen, which was one of the largest rooms Arturia had ever seen. There was more than enough food in the three-door fridge to feed an army, and since the choice was vast, with both typical Japanese and typical American food, they could have whatever they wanted.

Admittedly, it was quite strange to see a person so conscious of his own importance like Gilgamesh fill his plate on his own, but again, Arturia chose to keep silent. Well, she kept silent on that specific matter; she was already engaged in talk with him about other things.

As for the present week, no clear rules were to be decided about their living arrangements, since they were supposed to have just married and therefore adjust to the time zone and the new place; but from Monday onwards, they had to work out a schedule. After agreeing on the fact that the one who woke up first would have the use of the bathroom first as well, she asked for her working hours to be determined only once her sister's conditions were better known, and he consented.

They sat down to eat, and suddenly, as she focused on her meal, he looked up at her, his eyes searching. He then asked her – he did not demand, even though it was plain to see that he was making an effort not to do so, as had just happened earlier – to elaborate on a specific subject.

"When you were still in Japan, did you live here in Tokyo?"

Arturia did almost a double take. It was very strange for him to ask about her past, and she was not sure she wanted to give him an answer.

However, it was also true that the question was rather bland and harmless. He certainly never asked anything without purpose, but he seemed intent on just keeping the conversation going, and if that was indeed his objective, she was not against it.

With some hesitation, she finally replied, "No, we didn't. We lived in a small town by the sea, very peaceful and quiet. We were happy there, as a family." A very tiny smile managed to curve her lips as she then named the place, before she got control back over her features once more. "Iri often says she wants to go there again one day. She has always loved the sea."

"Do you hold fondness for the sea as well?"

Lost in her memories, she did not register the strangeness of him actually asking her such a thing, which betrayed an odd interest in her reply, and said, "I'm not entirely sure. I liked that place by the sea very much and I would love to go back there with my sister, but I prefer mountains and lakes. I wish I had had the time to make the tour of the five lakes of Mount Fuji back when I lived here. It's something I would really like to–"

She interrupted herself abruptly. What was she doing? Why was she telling _him_ such things?

She looked down at her plate and, without another word, resumed eating her breakfast. She did not want to think about what she had allowed herself to let slip.

Gilgamesh did not insist on the subject, calmly eating his food while his mind analysed what his wife had said.

His wife.

His blood red eyes left his plate to go back to lingering her. She was his wife now.

 _His wife_.

Oddly enough, he felt like tilting his lips up in a smile.

Not a grin, not a smirk, but a _smile_.

Such a thing was ridiculous. He was _not_ going to give in to this inexplicable whim.

...

...


	15. Schedule

**A/N:** it's already been a year since I started posting this story… thank you so much for taking the time to read it!

Endless thanks to Jolanikati for always beta reading ;))

* * *

…

…

...

...

Two hours later, after Arturia got dressed and was ready to meet the staff, she and Gilgamesh went down the stairs together. She had briefly checked, and Shirou was thankfully still sleeping.

She was quite taken aback at finding out that the housekeepers were a middle-aged couple, Mr. and Mrs. Stark, certainly not old but at the same time not so young anymore, who lived in an annexe quite close to the mansion, and who were responsible for the management of the house. From the way they spoke, she surmised that they were very familiar with the building and, for some reason, fiercely loyal to Gilgamesh. They gave her a very respectful and more than warm welcome, and she had the distinct impression that they were curious about her, eager to know the new 'mistress of the house' – the new _Mrs. Uruk_.

As for the rest of the staff, there weren't as many people as she had estimated. There was the chauffeur – who was not the same she had met in the US, but that was to be expected – a team of cleaners who would come by three times a week – or whenever they wished them to – and the deliverers, who were in charge of the food shopping and any kind of maintenance work that might be needed.

Arturia made a point of talking at length with all of them, memorizing their full names and their tasks. As soon as the introductions were complete, Gilgamesh, who had been present the entire time, dismissed everyone except the Starks, giving them instructions about the luggage.

Arturia did not notice, but both of them gaped at her when she went to help with the unpacking as well. When Mrs. Stark weakly tried to protest, saying that it was _their_ duty, she waved it off, saying that she was happy to help.

Therefore, for the following half-an-hour, Arturia worked with the couple to put away most of the clothes and objects they had taken with them from the US – including her and Iri's possessions from their apartment – while Gilgamesh was on the phone but remained always nearby.

Within that period of time, she had learned more from the housekeepers about the house's disposition, and she had also unknowingly won their respect.

As soon as that was done, she thanked them for their work and then dismissed them. Gilgamesh concluded his series of phone calls in that moment, and motioned for her to follow him.

"Aside from the regular staff, you haven't met the cook yet. She is a new employee – she is very young but appears to be adequately qualified. I allowed her to come in later this morning."

In the entrance hall, there was a purple-haired girl who was being calmly but firmly lectured by Mrs. Stark. Arturia did her best to hide her surprise when she turned around to introduce herself.

Her name was Sakura Tohsaka, and by her appearance, she couldn't be older than eighteen. Gilgamesh sharply gave her instructions, and even though she was quite obviously frightened to death by him, she nodded with shy determination.

Arturia observed her keenly during that exchange, and she felt that there was something off about the girl – not in a negative sense though. She was very young, and she had obviously the desire to prove herself; she listened attentively, and something in the way she nodded convinced the blonde woman that she had resolve and was capable. At the same time, something in her eyes suggested that her life was probably far more difficult than it seemed to be at first glance. For example, there were unnatural dark bags underneath her eyes, but she obviously did not want people to notice; they were in fact barely noticeable, as she had concealed them with makeup rather remarkably. The blonde woman would not have noticed them herself if she hadn't seen the same signs on her sister Iri only a few months before.

As Gilgamesh instructed Miss Tohsaka about the meals and the working hours, Arturia noticed that she seemed to tense up when she was informed that she would have to prepare three meals per day and therefore be at work for more than eight hours.

The blonde woman made her decision in a split second, and gently intervened.

She knew it was not wise to contradict the man who had become her husband just a few hours before, especially not in front of someone else; therefore, she simply made a few changes to what he said. She observed that both of them would have to work out of the house during the day, and therefore it was not necessary for the cook to prepare lunch, unless on some specific occasions in which they would explicitly tell her so.

As she was saying that, she saw how Miss Tohsaka's expression distended in relief, and knew she had made a good choice. She still did not know much about the girl, but she intended to find out more in the future.

Gilgamesh was not blind and, while he wasn't exactly pleased with the change, he knew that Arturia had made a solid point, and only confirmed her words with a nod before dismissing the young girl. It appeared that his wife had taken an interest in the new employee; as long as that did not pose a problem to him, he decided he could leave the matter be.

Arturia was certain that there was something that made Miss Tohsaka's life complicated, and she could guess that it wasn't something she wanted to talk about, at least not openly. As she had just found out, she was indeed eighteen years old; she was younger than her and was already working as a cook in a job position not easy to obtain. After all, Arturia knew very well, from personal experience, that Gilgamesh did not go easy on his employees and accepted only perfect work.

She did not know why she was so interested in helping young Miss Tohsaka, but seeing her behaviour in the morning had made her feel the same she felt when she saw her nephew Shirou dealing with the matter of his sick mother: an instinctual desire to help, protect, and give comfort and support.

Speaking of her nephew, he was coming towards her in that moment, holding her note in hand, rubbing his eyes sleepily and looking around in wonder.

"Auntie Ria, Uncle Gilgamesh, good morning. What is this place?" he asked, eyes wide as he did not forget his manners and took in the elegant room.

"Good morning, Shirou. We're in Japan, in Gilgamesh's hou– well, Gilgamesh and mine– _our_ house." She struggled with her words, and inwardly reprimanded herself for it.

The little boy focused on her.

"You live here now? It's so pretty! And so big!"

She nodded and smiled a bit at his compliment, leaning down to kiss his forehead.

"It is. Did you sleep well?"

Her nephew smiled, showing again how many of his milk teeth had fallen, and excitedly answered, "Yes, very much! The bed is fluffy!"

Had she been alone with him, she would have probably smiled back more, but she could not forget that her husband – it would still take her time to become accustomed to that term – was present as well.

Before she could say anything, the boy went on, "Is mommy coming here too?"

She resisted the urge to chew on her lip before slowly shaking her head.

"She can't. She has to heal first."

He solemnly stared at her. "Mommy will be at the hospital?" And then immediately afterwards, his voice pleading, "May I stay with her, please? I want to be with mommy…"

Arturia hesitated for a fraction of a second.

"First things first, Shirou. Let's get you dressed and then we will go to mommy."

…

*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*

…

Irisviel von Einzbern's flight was going to land on the rooftop of the hospital. It was the best hospital in the city, and one area of it was a private clinic, in which Iri was going to be located.

Together with Arturia and Shirou, Gilgamesh – who wasn't particularly happy about having to go with them but who couldn't decline for appearance's reasons – stepped into the limousine to reach the place. The boy's eyes were wide as they took in the luxurious vehicle, and he asked his aunt and uncle countless questions about it, even though only the blonde woman patiently took the time to give him answers. Gilgamesh didn't ignore him, his crimson eyes were on him too often to give that impression, but he patently wasn't interested in participating to the conversation, and Arturia didn't find anything to object to that.

Iri had already been brought to the room in which she was going to stay. It was very welcoming and cosy, and as a patient, she had the best service at her disposal. Arturia was glad to hear that the flight had gone well and that both Iri and the baby were healthy; her sister was already five months pregnant, and it was positive to see that the gestation was proceeding well. The personnel was mostly made of very nice people, and Iri was treated like a guest, with attention and dedication. She was still comatose, true, but her sleep was peaceful and even, and the doctors in both America and Japan had said that there were good chances of her waking up soon.

It was then, however, that little Shirou proved how much of a stubborn child he could be at times. He determinedly declared that he was not going to leave his mother until she woke up, and he absolutely refused to leave the room for any reason at all.

That was not exactly something Arturia had anticipated, but to her enormous surprise, _Gilgamesh_ had. With an expression that was a mix between bored and annoyed, he wordlessly indicated the door on the other side of the entrance of Iri's room.

Confused, the little boy followed his silent order and went to open it – finding out that it led to a very comfortable room furnished with a bed, a library, a sofa and a desk with a chair. There was also a small bathroom.

"You are going to stay only in this room and your mother's, and occasionally stroll through the park here outside. No other random wandering around the hospital nor interfering with the medics' work. Is this understood?" Gilgamesh said sternly, looking directly into Shirou's eyes.

The boy, wide-eyed and intimidated, was quick to give a nod.

Arturia took a step forward as her nephew jumped on the bed to 'test' it. Pulling her… husband's – it still felt _so weird_ to say – arm closer, she hissed in his ear, "Gilgamesh, can we please discuss this first? I'm not going to have my nephew closed in a hospital at his young age, without the possibility of getting an education and–"

He interrupted her, turning towards her and pulling her closer to him, making sure no one, least of all the child, could guess the subject of their conversation.

"There's no need to immediately get so defensive, Arturia. Your nephew will have regular lessons here with private tutors and can legally reside in this place, with his mother, as long as he keeps to these rooms of the clinic. And rest assured – his and your sister's safety are guaranteed."

She blinked. What…?

Had he already arranged for everything to make sure Shirou could be close to his mother and yet not neglect his life at the same time?

That was… it was… _huge_.

She blinked once again. He very visibly held back a scoff.

"No, it's not a dream, Arturia. Don't begin to try to wake up."

She just stared, unable to find the words right away.

Finally, she managed, "Wait a minute, Gilgamesh. Private tutors are not a small expense–"

He _did_ scoff this time.

"I'm paying for them. It's the alternative to the brat– the _boy_ ," he amended after her pointed glare, "it's the alternative to the boy going to school. He obviously refuses to leave his mother, and I will not tolerate a childish scene of kicking and screaming. This solution avoids all the annoying trouble."

She was silent. She didn't even spare a thought about the fact that he was still keeping her body close to his, while Shirou was merrily somersaulting on the bed.

Finally, she slowly took a step back, putting some space between them, before saying, "I would like to talk to the tutors myself before they ever get near my nephew, if you don't mind."

His gaze lingered on her a while longer after he had given her a nod, and he casually put an arm around her waist, drawing her closer to him once again. With the corner of her eye, Arturia noticed a nurse entering the other room to check on her sister, and correctly guessed that he had made that gesture of affection because of her presence.

As she looked at her nephew enthusiastically becoming acquainted with the rooms – proving that he had no objection whatsoever about the arrangements – another worry came to mind. She had been thinking about it in the past as well, but it was now presenting itself quite clearly, and she did not like it at all. It was a concern of no small impact or importance.

She frowned, and leaned closer to her husband, to make sure that what she told him could not be overheard.

"While I truly am grateful to you for the arrangements you made, I am concerned about Shirou spending so much time and actually growing up in such an environment. He is still very young, and he has already spent so much time in hospitals – and not because of his own injuries. I do worry about the way his judgement and personality will be influenced, and how all this will shape him in his character and mentality."

Her anxiety was plain to see, and the fact that she was standing so close to him made it even more apparent.

Gilgamesh sighed inwardly. She had basically been mothering the boy for years; it was quite _natural_ for her to worry about his future. He held back a second sigh. In the contract, they had only agreed on the money for her family, nothing else; but he _could_ say something when she was not being logical – and when she had such worrisome stress lines furrowing her brow.

"It cannot be helped, Arturia. As you have seen, the boy wants to be close to his mother. Until she is here, he will be here as well. Everything is connected to your sister's health."

Those words came out more gently than he had intended them to be, and it surprised him as much as it surprised her. Rationally, she had already known those things, but to have _him_ of all people calmly remind her of them, and in a _non-mocking_ way, too, well… if it was a festivity of some sorts, she wasn't aware of it.

Therefore, all she did was stare at him straight in the eye and then, slowly, nod at him. She knew her eyes had the disadvantage of being very expressive; she hoped that, in this specific occasion at least, they would convey her message clearly. She intended to acknowledge his making an effort – a huge effort – in keeping her from worrying needlessly about things she had no control over.

She could not express gratitude because he was not her friend and he hadn't exactly tried to soothe her, but he _had_ actually been something very close to _kind_.

The vaguely, or not so vaguely, teasing glint that appeared in his eyes told her that he had very much understood what she had meant to convey and had every intention of remarking on it.

Oh, but she would not let him do that.

Narrowing her eyes, she turned away from him and called, "Shirou, how about we explore the rest of the building – and perhaps the gardens, too?"

His almost imperceptible frown was enough to show that he had understood that she had wordlessly closed the subject – and prevented him from teasing her.

…

*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*

…

There were only another three days free before they would both go back to work and resume their lives in a more or less normal way.

They did not interact that much in that short period of time. The only actual conversation they had was on the evening of the first day, when Arturia asked him if she could give his number, as well as her own, to the hospital staff, to call in case there was an emergency of any kind; Gilgamesh wasn't too keen on it, but he eventually accepted.

After that, they hardly exchanged more than a few words per day. She had graduated, and therefore did not have her studies to tend to anymore; she played with Shirou, read for and with him, and spent time simply being there for him. She also talked with the doctors, who went into more detail about her sister's illness and how it was slowly being cured, and she was informed of the fact that the head medic of the structure was temporarily absent to be of assistance in another hospital, as he was a very busy person. She was going to meet him in a fortnight.

Together with Shirou, she saw the first ultrasound of Iri's baby, who was confirmed to be healthy. It still wasn't entirely possible to determine its sex but that was admittedly the least of all their worries. After that, the little boy fell asleep, and Arturia remained in the room for a long time, just listening to her sister's heartbeat, overwhelmed by relief because she was _alive_ and was _healing_.

Every evening the chauffeur drove her back home, from where Gilgamesh worked and had one phone call after the other. Dinner was always a quiet affair, and Arturia had to admit that Sakura Tohsaka was an excellent cook. The cleaners only came by when requested, and the girl and the Starks were discreet people who did their best to give the couple of newlyweds some space.

While it was to their credit as professional workers, the blonde woman was mildly disappointed about the fact that she could not get to know the young cook a bit better. She was certain that Miss Tohsaka's personal situation was not the best, and she felt the inexplicable desire to be of help to the shy girl. Now that she was married to a worldwide famous man, Arturia was slowly beginning to realize that she actually had some power in her position, not just to help her sister, but other people too. Miss Tohsaka, while very reserved and polite, did give the impression of having something weighing on her in her life.

Between adjusting to jet lag, finding her way around the large house and helping Shirou getting settled in his new home, Sunday evening came entirely too soon. That was when she and Gilgamesh had to actually talk to each other, since the following day they were going to have to go back to work.

They sat down with tea in one of the living rooms, one on the upper floor that was for their private use and that the blonde woman had taken an immediate liking to. The first day, the housekeepers had showed Arturia all the rooms' purposes, and that same morning she had done her best to memorize them all, since it was after all going to be _her_ house.

Gilgamesh's first inquiry was about her working hours, because he meant for her to take on the full time schedule.

"You are wasted as a part-timer, Arturia. You have graduated now, and your capabilities would be better employed with a full-time schedule."

"But my family comes before my possible working ambitions, Gilgamesh," came her easy reply.

Months before, when he had told her that she was to continue working at his company even after signing their contract, she had thought, her blood boiling in her ears, that he was speaking with false magnanimousness. He had instead merely lifted an eyebrow and informed her in no uncertain terms that he valued capable employees and therefore would not let her leave her position. It was something that had left her dumbfounded, even when later on Enkidu had confirmed to her that Gilgamesh had never intended to fire her. She hadn't fully believed him – but with time, she had been forced to reconsider.

Nevertheless, she was _not_ going to work full time. While she truly liked her job and would have been sorry to forfeit it, she had a comatose sister and a very young nephew to look after, and since she had to be careful about the press's attention, she could not add the stress of a full-time job to all that.

Therefore, Gilgamesh illustrated her her schedule as a part-timer. He made a visible effort to _ask_ her if it was compatible with the time she wanted to dedicate to her family; she was certain of the fact that he was both annoyed and amused as he asked that.

According to what he determined, she was going to have three – only occasionally four – mornings and two afternoons per week; it was a very generous part-timing, and she was going to start the following day.

A pause followed.

"You are well aware of the fact that there will be gossiping and not a small amount of staring at the office," he pointed out slowly.

She gave him a blank stare, dismissing the issue without wasting any time.

"That's the same as it was back in the US. Now, concerning the lunch break…"

She made it clear that it was for the best if they had lunch together, at least the first few weeks, and he nodded as they agreed to meet outside the office and get a meal together.

As she took a sip from the tea she had chosen – peach-flavoured – Arturia's eyes fell on the wedding ring she was wearing. A frown appeared on her face and she stared at the item with barely veiled disgust.

"Gilgamesh, I suggest a change about the ring-wearing tradition." Knowing that she had his attention, she continued firmly, "I'd rather we not wear them on our fingers. A chain holding the ring around the neck, for example, would be better."

It was _certainly_ better than actually wearing that thing. It was less fancy than the engagement ring – and she had already hated wearing that one – this new one was just a very simple yet refined golden band, exquisitely tasteful and with small elegant carvings, but that did not mean that she liked it. She knew she could not refuse to have it on herself, but she preferred to keep it around her neck rather than on her hand. It was a too blatant reminder if she wore it there, and she _truly_ did not need one.

It took quite a bit of quarrelling but, even though he was not pleased about it, he finally relented: they would not wear their rings on their fingers.

Something in the way he was looking at her, however, prompted her to pronounce her following words.

"You consider me a child for this request."

He raised an eyebrow at that, and appeared quite entertained by the notion.

His tone was more than just mildly condescending as he said, "While I do believe that some growing up would be favourable for you, I don't think you to be a _child_ …"

He trailed off, and she picked right up from there.

"You may consider me a person, Gilgamesh, but you don't consider me an adult." She allowed her sarcasm to be on full display on her face as she continued, "I'm actually surprised you made a contract with me instead of asking me to delegate to someone more _mature_."

She wasn't truly irked by the fact that he had told her that he considered her still not fully formed as a person, because she knew that it was partially true, at least when it concerned her age and worldly experience, and she was after all used to much more offensive comments on his part. But that did not mean that he had the right to patronize her in such a way, because he wasn't superior, and yet the way he had addressed her on it confirmed what she had believed his thoughts to be.

Deliberately, she added, "When the entirety of the past months is taken into consideration, I reach the conclusion that perhaps it's not just me who has to grow up though."

She did not wait to witness his reaction and instead finished drinking her tea.

As she was about to stand up to retire for the evening, he spoke again, oddly changing the subject entirely.

"Next weekend there is supposed to be the annual aestival social event, to which all the richest and most famous people are expected to make an appearance for the sake of business. I will have to attend."

He looked at her pointedly, and she did not blink.

"You mean to say that _we_ will have to attend."

The lazy smirk on his lips was a confirmation she didn't actually need, therefore she just gave him a nod. "Very well. I assume it is to take place in the evening?"

"Late afternoon, and it will be held in Kyoto," he specified. "Elegance is not expected – it's mandatory."

She almost rolled her eyes.

"I didn't know there was ever an occasion where you're involved in which it _isn't_ ," she commented sardonically.

She was tired after the exchange of usual jabs with her husband of a few days, and she wanted nothing more than finally go to sleep before starting work the following day.

Well, it wasn't the exact truth.

All she truly wanted was for Iri to heal, to be well and safe, and to have the means to raise her unborn child and Shirou. If Arturia had to put up with this impossibly arrogant man every day to obtain such a thing, then so be it. Whenever it was going to become too much, she would just keep to herself and he would just–

…no, he enjoyed teasing her far too much to keep to himself.

Still, since it was for her family's sake, she could and _would_ endure it.

...

...

 **A/N** : I gave the housekeepers the name Stark because of Game of Thrones :)


	16. High-Class

…

…

...

...

There were stares and there were whispers, but as a whole, Arturia thought that the first day of work in Japan went surprisingly well.

That did not mean that it wasn't tiring. Monday was the only day of the week in which she decided to have both morning and afternoon, and between the two, she had had a very silent lunch with Gilgamesh. While he had been staring at her and she had done the same, they were both too lost in thought to actually make the effort of starting a conversation. It had therefore not been an uncomfortable silence, since they were concentrated on their respective considerations.

The evening was another matter though, because it was as if he simply wouldn't shut up.

Miss Tohsaka was required to cook dinner and then she could leave, therefore they were alone, and Gilgamesh was being beyond irritating. It was very likely that he was trying to force a reaction out of her since she was too tired to remark on his comments, but he was making her have a headache.

She was _tired_ after work and having gone to briefly see Shirou, and couldn't he just be _quiet_ for a bit?

After that long day, meeting unknown people at work and spending time at the hospital with her nephew, she did not have the patience for him too. Exasperated by his continuous repeating of how important it was to be at the top, she finally snapped.

"If it's so important for you, Gilgamesh," she told him, almost taunting him, "I wonder why you didn't do politics instead of business. In such a way, you could have had an ever better use of the 'charisma' you talk so proudly of."

If she had hoped to shut him up or at least make him falter, she had failed. He smirked at her.

"Unfortunately, politics have the huge disadvantage of being limited to one country _only_. But, I intend my influence to be on top _everywhere_ , not just in one nation."

Plainer than this it could not be: she was married to the most narcissistic and self-centred person she had ever had the misfortune of meeting in her entire life.

Not a very pleasant thought to have right before going to sleep in the room she now shared with that same person.

…

*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*

…

The large mirror in their room was a remarkable article. It was in a good position and was angled so that the light was perfect for whomever wanted to stand in front of it.

As Gilgamesh was giving dispositions to the housekeepers for the following day – a Sunday – Arturia looked at her reflection with a critic eye. She had found a new blue dress waiting for her on her bed, and had complied with the unspoken request of wearing it, but she was skeptical.

She was going to take a flight to Kyoto with her husband in a short while, to attend their first social event as a married couple – and that agreed with the contract, of course – but that was not what was preoccupying her.

In her opinion, what she was wearing was not quite adequate for the visiting of a museum. It was a beautiful gown, that was doubtless, and she was very fond of both the colour and the cut. However, since she had to act the part of the wife of one of the richest men in the world, she had to admit – even with her limited knowledge about fashion – that it wasn't exactly suitable because it was far too simple and demure.

She did not turn towards Gilgamesh as he entered the room a few minutes later, instead meeting his gaze through the mirror.

"Is this dress… suitable… for the kind of event we are attending?" she said, emphasis on her every word. They did not have much time left before they were supposed to leave.

His eyes swept her form up and down, and then he went to open the safe between their closets. Taking out a very elaborate set of silver jewellery, he indicated for her to wear them.

"With these, it will be."

He was quite pleased with his wife. She had noticed how the dress – while quite lovely, as he had chosen it himself – was not elaborate enough for a social evening. However, those silver jewels were among the most precious and refined ornaments his mother had given him, and he knew they were going to stand out especially by contrasting with the simpler yet still elegant cut of the dress.

As he was putting on his tie – she had mildly surprised him by suggesting a midnight blue one to match her dress – he met her eyes again through the mirror. Since it was a very large one, she was able to fasten her necklace in front of it, while he wore his tie on the other side of the room and still managed to see himself in it.

"Arturia. You are aware of the fact that you need to be very careful this evening."

Her gaze flickered briefly in mild curiosity, since it was not like him to give her a warning of that kind. She picked up her purse and her topcoat as he took his own, and turned off the lights as they walked out of the room.

While the limousine drove them to the airport, he resumed where he had left off.

"We got married less than two weeks ago, and we are now officially appearing in public for the first time after that event. The reporters are desperate for a scoop – of any kind, regardless of its truth. However," he moved his hand slightly, seeing how she was about to speak, "they are not the real problem – the people attending the event are the ones who might be. They are from high-class society, and their objective is to intimidate you."

"Because I am not from the same circle and of course they will consider me a social climber," Arturia easily deduced, nodding in understanding.

His tone became sharper. "Don't underestimate this, Arturia. They will not come at you with veiled threats or slight jabs. They will be whirlwinds of venom, because they think you inexperienced and an easy victim, ready to be destroyed and ruthlessly torn apart. _They can't wait for this moment_."

He made himself more comfortable on the limousine's pillows. "As long as you keep being yourself though, I know that you'll never let them have the upper hand."

She frowned. The man in front of her was being extremely confusing. Just a few days before, he had told her that he did not consider her grown up enough for his world; yet right now, he was saying that he thought her capable of holding her own in that same world.

Stepping on the private jet, she brushed the thought aside. As long as the evening passed quickly and without major problems, she could make an effort to overlook Gilgamesh's illogical lapses in coherence.

To her surprise, things went smoother than she had expected. The two of them never left each other's side and in such a fashion met a massive amount of people. All she had to do was nod, bow slightly and smile, and use the most protocolled of sentences when it was expected of her to give replies.

She noticed that people were often taken aback by the fact that she spoke Japanese fluently, but she maintained her politeness even when their comments became borderline rude. Also mindful of the best way of interacting with them, she never went on to first name basis, not even when they were bold enough to explicitly ask her to.

She was aware of the fact that all her actions were under scrutiny; for example, she felt how many eyes followed her when she thanked one of the waiters, for offering her and her husband drinks for the night. But she had listened to Enkidu's (or rather, _Gilgamesh's_ ) advice and she intended to follow it: to be herself, but remain even more detached than usual.

While being a non-stop talker had never been her forte and therefore there was no danger of her embarrassing herself in such a manner, keeping too quiet was not considered acceptable either. And since it would not have been becoming to be friendly with any of the guests in particular and her husband was not a very appealing conversation partner when in public, she opted for something different.

They were in a museum, and the curators and even the superintendent were present; therefore, Arturia kindly enquired about the upcoming expositions of the summer season. She knew she had made a good choice when Gilgamesh's grip on her arm did not change at every polite question she asked them. It was easier than she thought, because Japanese art genuinely attracted her, and that meant that she did not need to fake her interest.

Gilgamesh was both amused and satisfied by the evening. His wife had been perfect in her role, she had truly owned it; and he knew that every single pair of eyes that had been on her during the evening had not been able to find a hair out of place. Not just in her appearance – after all, it was hardly possible for _that_ not to be perfect after he had personally chosen her wardrobe – but in behaviour, too.

Without concentrating the attention on herself, she had made sure that neither of them went unnoticed. It had been a more than adequate start of social life for all the future events to come.

They took the flight to go back to Tokyo and arrived at their house late into the night, or rather, early in the Sunday morning. Arturia did not say a word to him as she went to take a shower – it was summer, after all, taking frequent showers was hardly a choice – in the bathroom downstairs, implicitly leaving the use of the bathroom in the bedroom to his discretion.

Their personal bathroom was perhaps more luxurious, but that exact fact made it slightly less appealing to Arturia. She had been used to small living quarters her entire life, and going from that to a mansion with a spacious master bedroom and a large bathroom that had both a shower and tub still took some time adjusting to.

When he finished his own shower, she was already in bed, obviously tired and ready to fall asleep. She had already given up on her decision to always turn her head away from him to sleep, as it was more troublesome than useful, especially when she was feeling too tired to care. She mumbled something that nebulously sounded like 'good night' and soon afterwards her breathing evened.

Gilgamesh almost shook his head, more amused than he had been during the whole week. If those deplorable evenings ended in such a way, he could not say he disliked them that much anymore.

…

*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*

…

The one true change that the following week brought was Enkidu's arrival, since he had moved from the US to Japan as well. It was welcome news for Arturia – for Gilgamesh it was _always_ good news, since he was his best friend – because, even though he was mischievous, he was an unaffectedly _nice_ person. Not only was he the one who gave her the instructions on how to fend at high-class events, also being in his company was pleasant, and he always asked how her sister and her nephew were faring.

She hated to admit it, but she knew there had to be reasons for which a man like Gilgamesh valued Enkidu as his friend, and those reasons were ones she actually fully supported and agreed with.

He wasn't the only person to come to work in Japan though – Iskandar was too.

Arturia was not exactly happy about meeting him at her workplace, even though Gilgamesh impatiently assured her that she was not going to see him often anyway, seeing as he worked in another part of the building.

After that quick exchange about the red-bearded man, a tense pause followed.

"You don't seem fond of Iskandar," he then remarked.

Understatement of the century, she thought, but she merely gave a noncommittal shrug.

"Are _you_ fond of him, Gilgamesh?"

He repressed a smirk at her impudence.

"I wouldn't say that. He is irritating, that is for sure, but at least he is less boring than a great deal of other people working in the field of business."

She was silent, and Gilgamesh did not probe further. He knew that whatever it was about Iskandar that she could not accept, she was not going to tell him. Therefore, her following brief words were a bit of a surprise.

"I suppose that at least is true… he's certainly never boring."

Neither added anything to the conversation, and they left it at that. But, at the very least, it didn't end in the usual irritation for either of them.

For the rest, the week was quite normal, things slowly beginning to fall into place. Arturia spent her time between work, her nephew, her unconscious sister and her little free time at home, usually reading something from the insanely large library she had discovered on the ground floor. Gilgamesh had not been lying when he had said that he owned a copious amount of literary works.

She made sure to see the staff regularly and tried to talk more with the cook, Miss Tohsaka, even though her shyness was making things difficult in that sense. The blonde woman did not want to be invasive, she simply wanted the young girl to feel welcome in her household; but she couldn't do that if the girl herself didn't intend to take the first step in opening up. There had to be something weighing on her; she was very kind but reserved and timid at the same time. Arturia just hoped it was something she would eventually be able to help her with.

On Wednesday, Gilgamesh informed her that there was going to be the official museum's summer inauguration in Kyoto that Friday night, and the enthusiastic curators had invited them, for it appeared that they had become quite smitten with her during the past weekend. They were going to dedicate the evening to how Hokusai's art had influenced modern day's mass culture.

On Thursday, however, Gilgamesh rectified that he had a very important meeting the following day, which was going to last late into the night in his office in Tokyo, and therefore would not have the time to fly to Kyoto. Arturia thought, with some slight disappointment, that it meant that the entire trip was cancelled; but he took her aback.

"Only because _I_ am unable to attend, it doesn't mean that _you_ are free from the engagement. All the finest members of society have been invited, it would hardly be appropriate for us both to miss it."

Seeing her conflicted emotions, he added, "Enkidu is going to join you later in the evening."

It was true that, in the contract, they had agreed on the fact that she had to attend social events _with or without_ her husband, unless there were serious complications with her health or her family's. Since Shirou was very much healthy, Iri's conditions were stable and she herself was perfectly fine, she had no excuse to avoid the flight to Kyoto.

It was Gilgamesh who reminded her of all that, a triumphant light in his eyes as he did so.

He did tend to relish his power over people, Arturia considered, and it was then that she realized it. That was why he delighted in it so much: it was like a _game_ for him.

She had never intended to refuse to go to Kyoto, even if she was going to be on her own. She did not need him to mock her by stressing the fact that she had to respect the contract. But he was apparently enjoying himself too much to remember that she had honour and would never go against what she had agreed to do – and that was without considering the contract itself, of course.

He obviously considered her an object to play with.

She stared straight into his eyes. For some reason, he felt compelled to stare back without saying a word, his mind invaded by strange, foreign thoughts.

He had never truly noticed how magnetically green her eyes were, and how serious a look her normally serious face could have.

"You like playing people like games, Gilgamesh, do you not? Well, I hope you enjoy it for as long as it lasts. For you can continue playing the game only until your luck runs out."

Her husband, without her knowing it, was unable to find an adequate reply, no matter how firmly he told himself to stop feeling like a mindless child. He could not explain even to himself why he felt that every dealing with his wife was not unlike walking on a layer of thin ice, forcing him to always hold his breath in preparation to face the raging abyss hidden underneath.

But as Arturia didn't know this, she didn't add anything else before turning around and leaving, because there was no need to say another word. He had already gotten on her nerves, and she wanted to go to Kyoto in a relatively peaceful state of mind, since she was going to have to face the press and the elite society all on her own.

It was therefore a bit of a surprise when in the early Friday afternoon Gilgamesh passed by their room as she was deciding on her evening attire, and offered her two short sentences.

"Wear the golden dress. It's very becoming on you."

Without another word, he was gone, his meeting awaiting him.

Arturia wondered, even if just briefly: what had that been? Was it his way of making an effort at not being too arrogant towards her?

No, it could not be; that was as likely as the evening passing by quietly and without any kind of problem.

Perhaps that was the reason why he had made a non-arrogant comment though; she was going to be alone until Enkidu showed up, in the midst of a group of people she didn't know and who could not wait for her to make a _faux pas_ and embarrass herself.

She sat a little straighter as she took her place in the private flight directed to Kyoto. The exhibition was going to be about Hokusai and, even if she had not said so in front of Gilgamesh, Arturia was a secret admirer of his prints and was very knowledgeable about his artistic style.

She was received with the expected politeness and dose of fake smiles that seemed to be mandatory in those circles, and was then escorted to the refreshment table by the curators. She expressed her regret over her husband's absence, knowing that he had already sent them a notice to tell them that he would not be able to attend.

As she was taking a tour to admire the exposed art, she surprised her various interlocutors with the composed but genuine enthusiasm with which she spoke, unknowingly giving away an air of serene confidence and well-informed passion, something that made her company very pleasing. She wasn't completely aware of her own prowess, but she did feel that she was doing quite fine.

However, as she was engrossed in listening to a commentary over Hokusai's use of lines in a specific print, she was suddenly pushed back quite roughly as a woman passed near her.

She managed to keep her balance and her eyes found the person who had been so keen on trying to make her stumble – in the most literal possible way.

"Well, well. If this isn't the lovely new _child_ who has slept her way into this world. _Arturia Pendragon_."

A tall, stunningly beautiful woman with long lilac hair, sumptuous dark grey dress and a sneer on her face was standing near her, and she was giving her an incredibly arrogant and haughty look. She had been the one to push her, and if her pose was of any indication, she was likely to be _very_ happy if Arturia happened to make a bad impression.

The blonde woman stared at her firmly, her green eyes weighing her carefully. She was easily the most beautiful person she had ever seen, but the most malicious one too, which made Arturia recognize her.

Back when she had memorized the guest list for the wedding, together with the photos and personal information, she had seen this woman as well.

Her name was Medea Kuzuki, and she was less than one year older than her husband Gilgamesh. She was one of the people on the list of 'aspiring business partners who are never to be considered', and Enkidu had added, in a rare display of anger, "She wants a partnership of a different kind, that gold-digger." She had also avoided showing up at the wedding; while she certainly wasn't a true danger to her, Arturia knew that she wasn't harmless either, therefore she had to be careful.

Medea Kuzuki's personal info was still clear in her mind. She was of the powerful Caster family, and her mother was Lady Ishtar; she didn't know why, but Enkidu had recommended not to _ever_ mention that name in front of Gilgamesh. When she had been very young, Medea had married the rich businessman Jason Fleece, probably in a marriage arranged by her family. After his premature death, she had gotten married again, to the austere Souichirou Kuzuki, who was several years older than her.

While she had seemed quite unconcerned about the death of her first husband ("That witch probably aided him in his passing," Enkidu had darkly commented), she had not taken well the death of her second husband, as she had allegedly come to care for him, although it had yet again been an arranged union.

From then on, Medea had set her eyes on the most eligible bachelors and, as Enkidu had told her, Gilgamesh had been her primary target for a long while. She had tried hard to flirt and even throw herself at him on multiple occasions, but he had never been remotely interested in wasting even a second of his time on her and, the extremely rare times he had been forced to address her, he had dismissed her as coldly as he could. That was likely the reason for which she had not attended the wedding.

When Arturia had asked the green-haired man why _he_ had never been on her radar, he had smirked in victory. "Thankfully, I allowed some gossip to circulate, and Medea's happily convinced that I'm gay. You can bet that I won't be correcting her assumptions any time soon." Even while Arturia had shaken her head with a barely suppressed smile at his antics, Enkidu had however warned her about the woman, explaining that she was persistent and very much incensed over the news of Gilgamesh's marriage.

And there she was: rich, influential, arrogant, haughty, easily the most gorgeous woman to have ever walked on the planet. Everything that Arturia was not.

All the same, she would not let herself be intimidated by her. If Gilgamesh Uruk, the richest, truly most influential and conceited person in the world, had not managed to intimidate her, Medea Caster-Kuzuki wouldn't stand a chance.

Arturia tilted her head to the side in greeting, maintaining eye contact, her tone calm, pleasant and polite.

"Good evening, Mrs. Kuzuki. We haven't been introduced yet, but it's a pleasure. Please do allow me to correct you. My name is no longer Arturia Pendragon; it's Arturia _Uruk_."

The woman sneered disdainfully, her eyes flashing in fury.

"Oh, so you are getting bold now. Well then, _child_ , let me tell you a few things." She stood taller, catching the attention of several people in the room. "You have entered this sphere through a marriage… or rather, a _bed_ … that you did not deserve. And everyone knows the truth… you, little girl, _you_ , who have managed to sink your claws into Gilgamesh Uruk and made him marry you, are nothing but a _slut_. And trust me – everyone knows and looks down on you for this."

The person to whom the assault was directed lifted an eyebrow. Quite an impressive string of insults, coming from a woman who considered herself superior to everyone else. There was actually a humorous side to her not-so-subtly calling Arturia a social climber when, according to her history, Medea herself was one.

"It's very nice of you to enlighten me, then. But, begging your pardon, I don't see why you took the trouble of informing me of it."

The tall woman sneered again, if possible with even more contempt, as a quickly increasing number of people was now staring at them.

"I see that your understanding is even lower than your modest looks. Then I will be clearer: _you are not welcome_ _in this world._ "

Arturia's countenance did not change, nor did her tone lose any of its firmness – or politeness.

"Your opinion is noted, but I'm afraid that what you just said oversteps the… _sphere_ of your influence, Mrs. Kuzuki."

She looked the woman directly in the eye, her gaze calm and even. "If you have concerns of this kind, I am surprised that you address _me_ on them, and especially during an evening in which my husband is not present. If your intention is to let Gilgamesh know how wrong he was in his marriage decision, I would suggest speaking to him directly – assuming he has any interest in listening to an acquaintance who is attempting to intrude in and meddle with our personal life."

She inclined her head slightly, her firm dismissal clear, and concluded, "If you'll excuse me now – you interrupted Mr. Nakagawa's very interesting explanation. I believe you owe him an apology."

Medea sent her a furious look that patently wished her a very painful death, before storming off.

Diplomatically, Arturia invited the curator to continue with his work, and he readily complied with her request.

The blonde woman did not know that Enkidu had arrived at the inauguration just a few minutes before Medea had launched an assault on her, and she had not seen him listen to every word, grinning from ear to ear.

She only noticed his presence when he approached her with two glasses of wine, gentlemanly handing her one after Mr. Nakagawa had completed his presentation of the artworks.

"Evening, Ria~," he said, attempting an innocent expression.

She raised an eyebrow, not fooled for even a second.

"Enkidu? Is something the matter?" She narrowed her eyes at him. "Did you just arrive… or have you already been here for a while?"

He grinned broadly, putting his own glass of wine at serious risk with the wide gesture he made with his arm.

"You were amazingly perfect, Ria! I wish Gil had been present to witness that~… You have no idea how much he dislikes Medea!"

Her raised eyebrow slowly went back in place, and her frown distended.

"And _you_ don't?"

He waved a hand dismissively.

"You know me too well. But this was her attempt at getting between you and Gil~… and she failed miserably!" He winked at her. "Enjoy the remainder of the evening – our flight departs in less than an hour!"

And, as slick as the wind, he was gone again.

Well then.

She had about half an hour to still talk with other guests and admire Hokusai's work; she was going to avoid the former, and take full advantage of the latter.

...

...

 **A/N** : thank you to HiddenCamellia for patiently listening and offering advice on the dialogues in this chapter, and for allowing me to use her original character Nakagawa ;)


	17. Struggles

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Gilgamesh's work meeting ended very late into the night – because it was a videoconference with people in America and Europe, too – and, as soon as he set foot in his house, he gave instructions to the chauffeur to go pick up his wife at the airport.

It had been a long and demanding day, but he had just finished his shower when his phone rang.

Without looking at the screen, since it was his personal phone and very few people had that number, he picked it up.

"Giiiil~"

Of course. Who else would call him at such an hour? His best friend's tone was teasing and he seemed to be in a very happy mood, which meant that nothing serious had happened.

"Enkidu," Gilgamesh greeted, evenly. "Aren't you supposed to be with Arturia in Kyoto at the museum's inauguration?"

He heard a chuckle.

"We're about to take the plane to fly back, but that isn't the point~! Can you imagine who showed up, Gil…? _Medea Caster-Kuzuki_!"

Gilgamesh slowly sat on his bed, digesting the information and feeling the weight of the long day in the back of his mind. His friend sounded happy; that was positive, and it was useless to try to merely guess what exactly had happened.

"What did she dare do, Enkidu."

Enkidu's grin had the remarkable power of being sensed even through the phone.

"Oh, you should have been here…~ she tried to ridicule Arturia by insulting her in front of everyone!"

In spite of himself, Gilgamesh felt like cracking a grin of his own. That poisonous woman had most likely been severely reminded of her place, for the very first time in her life by someone she considered inferior. It was actually too bad that he had not been there to witness it.

His tiredness was suddenly gone and he settled himself more comfortably against the pillows.

"Do continue."

…

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…

When Arturia arrived home and bid the chauffeur good night, she took a shower downstairs to make sure she did not disturb Gilgamesh, as it was very late and she expected her husband to be asleep. She hoped he had not forgotten to separate the beds.

But when opening the bedroom's door, she found him very much awake, lying on his bed leisurely with an almost empty glass of red wine in hand.

Well, at least the beds had been pushed apart.

He gave her one of his most devilish smirks as greeting, and she eyed him warily as she carefully stepped into the room.

"Gilgamesh…? Why aren't you asleep?"

His smirk widened as he finished his wine unhurriedly, before suavely letting her know, "Enkidu informed me of Medea's unforgivably foolish move."

Her eyes did not betray a thing as she went to her side of the room, putting down her purse, folding her golden dress and putting it on a chair to remember to give it to the housekeepers the following day, for cleaning. She had already changed into her nightwear after the shower.

He did not seem bothered by her silence, and leaned forward to put the empty wine glass on his bedside table.

"I was told you handled the unpleasant situation with firmness… and class."

His crimson eyes were intently fixed on her form, with something odd glinting in them… but wait…

Arturia blinked.

Was it… _pride_ …?

Arturia blinked again. Indeed, he seemed strangely proud. He did not give her much time to focus on it though, because he had a few other things to say.

"While you made quite an impression, there was no need to do such an extensive research on Hokusai for this specific evening."

She stared at him. He had gone from pride to condescendence in less than ten seconds.

"What on earth are you talking about?"

He lifted an eyebrow. Surely, she could not mean…

"You are telling me you knew that much about the artist in the first place?"

She did not intend to let him see that she was offended, but she could not deny that she did feel the slight.

"Only because _you_ are not interested in art, Gilgamesh, it doesn't mean that everyone else isn't either. Hokusai is one of the Japanese artists I admire the most, and being at the exhibition tonight was a privilege."

He looked at her curiously.

"Yes, Enkidu mentioned that you told the curators as much. And they were delighted by your apparent interest… or not just _apparent_ , as it seems," he amended with hidden amusement, seeing the glare she shot him.

Arturia pulled the covers off the bed before disappearing underneath them. She had a habit of covering herself even in the most suffocating of summer heats.

"I will assume your meeting went well. Make sure there is no alarm clock tomorrow morning. Good night," came her muffled voice from the place where her pillow was supposed to be buried under.

He shook his head in now open amusement before turning off the lights.

This little wife of his…

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Social events were just plainly tiring, Arturia decided. She had to make up for lost sleep every time she attended one, and having to sleep more meant having less time to spend with her family, which was something she disliked.

Luckily, after the social event in Kyoto and the brief clash with Medea Caster-Kuzuki – something that Enkidu assured her was just a _taste_ of the intolerant world of high-class people – there weren't any other immediate engagements.

Towards the end of the month, the hospital staff informed her of the fact that the head medic was going to come back on the following Friday. Since Arturia did not have to work on Friday afternoon, Gilgamesh was for once free as well and she knew that it was going to be the chauffeur's monthly free day, she reluctantly asked her husband to come with her. She had a driving licence and he had given her leave to drive any of his cars, but for appearances' sake, going together was better.

His expression had been neutral when they had driven to the hospital and, aside from firmly cutting off Shirou's excited attempt at jumping towards him, he did not seem too displeased.

They were walking through one of the hospital's more discreet corridors that led to Iri's room, and the little boy was pulling his aunt by the hand to have her walk more quickly, when suddenly someone spoke.

"Ria? Is that you?"

Not recognizing the voice, Arturia turned around and, to Gilgamesh's suspicious surprise, a startled smile bloomed on her face – even though it was small, it was a real one.

"Diarmuid?"

A tall man with dark hair and a mole under his right eye had appeared in the doorway behind them, and he had a large smile on his face. "Ria!"

He took swift steps towards her, raising his arms in an obvious move to embrace her – when someone stopped him in his tracks by firmly moving between him and Arturia. The dark-haired man was forced to take a step back as another tall, blond man stared at him coldly.

"Who are you and what do you _think_ you are doing to my wife?" came Gilgamesh's glacial voice.

Quickly understanding how the situation must have looked in his eyes, Arturia put her hand on his shoulder calmingly.

"Gilgamesh, my apologies, I should have made the introductions first. This is my cousin, Diarmuid Ua Duibhne. Diarmuid, this is my husband, Gilgamesh Uruk."

The man, whose name was apparently Diarmuid, stared wide-eyed between her and the person who was more or less shielding her from him.

"So it's true then," he murmured slowly. "I had heard it on the news, of course, but I didn't think it was actually _you_ who got married to the famous businessman, Ria."

Seeing her eyes – and her husband's – narrow dangerously, he quickly continued, "But this is not what I meant to say. I… even if I am a bit late, congratulations, Ria, and Mr.… Uruk… on your wedding."

He had enough sense to know that the use of the first name wouldn't have been tolerated. Good. That was just enough to make sure Gilgamesh did not lose his patience with the mongrel, especially since, a few minutes later, it came out that _he_ was actually the head medic of the clinic.

Arturia was not unaware of her husband's frosty countenance, but she chose to ignore it as she spoke with mild warmth to her cousin, whom she hadn't seen nor heard anything from in quite a while, and who turned out to be the medic in charge of her sister's wellbeing.

By listening to their talks, even if they were often interrupted by Shirou who wanted to show 'cousin Diar' all of his fallen milk teeth, Gilgamesh gathered that he was her cousin on her father's side – her father's sister's son – and therefore not actually related to Irisviel. He seemed to get along well with Arturia, not that that meant that the Golden Businessman would put up with him serenely.

He wanted to leave as soon as possible but, at the same time, he was not going to leave his wife alone with this man. He may very well be her cousin and someone she seemed to trust, but Gilgamesh still refused to entertain the notion of just leaving the matter be.

To be fair, he was not able to explain it to himself – and he didn't even want to – but he still was _not_ going to leave his wife here _alone_ with him.

Didn't the supposed head medic have other places where he needed to be? Didn't he have his _job_ to do around the hospital, instead of hanging around Arturia and talking?

Finally, the man left. Gilgamesh was satisfied to see that his wife took her leave from him in a simple way, without the effusions that others would have deemed necessary.

Diarmuid Ua Duibhne had better be very good at his job, for Gilgamesh would not tolerate having him around for long if that turned out not to be the case; the least he saw of the man, the better.

The blond man already profoundly disliked him being near Arturia, in any way, for any reason.

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Monday was the only day in which Arturia chose to have both morning and afternoon to work, and she and Gilgamesh usually had lunch together because of that. She had then one day with only work in the afternoon, and the rest of the week she could decide where to place her two mornings. On those occasions, depending on their respective engagements, they tried to share meals as often as possible.

It was not for the fact that they enjoyed their time together, of course; it was all for appearance's sake.

On one such day, after their lunch, she took the limousine to the hospital while he went back to the office where there was going to be a meeting.

Iskandar was there early, for once, and tried to give him a pat on the back, which Gilgamesh skilfully and elegantly dodged, as usual.

"Here you are! Back from another meal shared with your sweet other half? Doesn't her company ever become too omnipresent? You seem to be with her all the time!"

In a measured tone, knowing that Iskandar did not actually mean to be as offensive as he sounded, Gilgamesh replied, "I understand the appeal of her company much better than you do."

The red-bearded man roared in laughter.

"Good for you then! You must be glad you have chosen well, Goldie!"

As the other associates slowly filled the room and prepared to discuss the matters on the agenda, the blond man remained standing next to the window for a few minutes longer, his eyes following the limousine until it disappeared around the corner.

He had requested Arturia to start participating to the business meetings; she had been perplexed, but she wouldn't have refused, if on this specific day she had not had to go discuss and sign the documents concerning the delicate treatment that was going to be administered to her sister, who was almost six months pregnant by now. Therefore, to his strange disappointment, she had told him that she was not going to be able to attend.

It occurred to Gilgamesh that Arturia had never complained about how taxing it was to balance her life with her family, the job and the threat of the continuous popping up of reporters during their meals or just casual exiting of the house. Not to mention the fact that he had more or less fed her to the sharks barely three weeks after their marriage, and she had had to confront a spiteful and cruel woman like Medea on her own – yet not _once_ had she complained about any of it.

The amount of things she had to endure was all because she was his wife. It was true that she was living up to her tasks admirably, and that confirmed that he _had_ chosen well, but that was not what he should be glad about.

Looking at Iskandar as he finally left the window and went to take a seat, Gilgamesh could not help thinking, _No, you fool. I must be glad she actually accepted everything that this life entails_.

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After the meeting, he had one increasingly rare occasion of talking with Enkidu; or rather, his best friend followed him to his office without permission, not shutting up for even a second.

At first, it was to properly conclude a discussion they had started during the meeting about a new project – since Gilgamesh was supposed to be, and was, a married man, many of his usual trips had been delegated, mostly to Enkidu – but then it went on to other subjects.

The green-haired man pointed out that it was very unlikely that Medea Kuzuki had given up on her schemes; after the previous defeat, she was going to be even more brazen in her attempts at humiliating Arturia in public. She was going to use every possible occasion, Enkidu warned.

Gilgamesh wasn't too worried.

"Arturia is perfectly capable of handling it. As you told me yourself, she did perfectly fine last time."

"True," Enkidu recognized, standing up. "I am simply concerned about Medea going overboard in her attempts, and causing damages that can't be fixed so easily."

Blood red eyes gave away his inner smirk.

"As I said – Arturia can handle herself."

Enkidu was almost at the door, but he turned around to look at Gilgamesh again. He searched his face carefully, his strange yellow-grey eyes scrutinizing him intently.

"…interesting. Tell me, Gil~… What is she for you?"

 _You are for me what I am for you_ … Arturia's words from a few months before made their unwanted way into his mind. Well, she hadn't been wrong.

Therefore, he answered his best friend by quoting her.

"She is for me what I am for her… a means to an end."

To that, Enkidu burst into laughter. He laughed so hard that he had to actually lean against the wall to avoid falling on the floor. Gilgamesh looked at him in annoyance, impatiently waiting for him to collect himself.

Once the fits of laughter finally died down, yellow-grey eyes stared at him again, suddenly with a serious expression.

"Really~, Gil?"

Ignoring the odd tone, Gilgamesh did not bother with an answer, but Enkidu surprised him by scoffing.

"I thought I knew you better than that, Gil."

Gilgamesh glared at him, but Enkidu continued, "Sure, glare all you want. But do me a favour, as a friend: never tell me any more absurdity like that."

Gilgamesh did not have an adequate reply this time, be it a verbal one or a glaring one. Enkidu obviously did not need one anyway.

"I know you – you are not a liar on matters like this one, Gil. So if you are going to lie, at least pretend you believe what you are saying. I reckon I may not be the most brilliant mind in the world, but asking me to be _this_ stupid is a bit too much. Saying that she's just ' _a means to an end_ ' for you is as believable as me saying that I'm in love with Medea Caster-Kuzuki."

Silence. The standing man elaborated, "You had better be honest at least with yourself."

Seeing that Gilgamesh's face did not express a thing, Enkidu sighed.

"So, you refuse to admit it. Do I have to spell it out for you?"

He sighed again when Gilgamesh did not reply, and cleared his throat.

"Open your ears: you like her. You are attracted to her. You are smitten with her. You are romantically fond of her. You–"

" _Enkidu_. That's enough nonsense for today," came finally Gilgamesh's very annoyed reply.

Enkidu, however, sighed again.

"Fine, Gil, I admit that I may have exaggerated a bit – you don't have such strong feelings for her." _Yet_ , he mentally added, but deemed it wiser to keep that to himself for the moment. "However, Ria does interest you. At least a little bit."

He opened the door, ready to walk out of the office on his own this time. "Give it some thought, Gil! Good night~…"

And he was gone, leaving Gilgamesh with his slightly disconcerted thoughts.

The time in which he truly gave some thought to what Enkidu had said was a few days later, when talking with Arturia during dinner.

He brought up the fact that, according to the contract, they had to go shopping for clothes. She did not complain nor did she grumble about it, contrary to the other time when they had done such a thing before the wedding.

He mentioned that to her on the day they went to a large, high-class shopping mall.

"You no longer seem to disapprove of shopping excursions."

She shrugged politely as they went through several aisles of clothes.

"You are nice enough not to make me parade around nor force me into terrible clothing articles, and you don't spend your money mindlessly. I can hardly complain when you prove to be a responsible person, can I?"

And before he could reply, she added, meeting his eyes, "I do try my best to keep my end of the bargain, Gilgamesh, as you have done so far as well."

He knew it for sure then. With all he could find to criticize about his wife, and keeping in mind that she was not someone he could _ever_ come to like, she was certainly quite… unusually interesting.

On her part, Arturia was completely unaware of his thoughts, and was focused on the shopping spree, not having much to object on. He _did_ have good taste in clothes, he chose things that she liked as well, and they did not spend too much time on the shopping. It truly was no effort to respect that part of the contract.

They got along without too much trouble in those occasions. But there were other, much more frequent times, in which they had heated discussions.

There was an occasion in which, when they were outside and reporters followed them until the entrance of their house, Gilgamesh kept a firm grip on her arm the entire time. Perhaps it had been _too_ firm, because she then rebuked him about it, massaging her sore arm.

He recognized that he could have been a little gentler, but it had been to make sure they did not get lost in the sea of journalists. Besides, they were married – she had agreed to be his wife.

"Which means, you agreed to let me hold your arm in public, not merely to avoid getting lost in the crowd, but also to show off."

He was slightly intrigued when he noticed that she did not seem fazed at his words, observing her arm and seeing with relief that there was no bruise forming.

"Aren't you delusional, Gilgamesh. I agreed to be your _wife_ – nothing more, nothing less," she replied, echoing his words from long before.

He gave her a pointed look at that.

"That means exactly what I said, Arturia. And such gestures in public are part of the agreement – you prove to be mine in front of everyone."

There was so much disgust in her eyes that he almost felt compelled to rephrase the sentence a little differently. She snapped at him before he could decide what to do though.

"You talk in such an arrogant, _medieval_ way, Gilgamesh, considering a wife to be a husband's possession. I have told you before that I am not your inferior nor your toy, but you have obviously not been listening or have decided to ignore me. Keep enjoying your delusions then. Let me know when you're ready to be an _adult_ about these matters."

And she stormed away, refusing to speak another word to him for the rest of the week.

It was more complicated than he had thought, this marriage of his. He had wanted a wife with a brain, and that was what he had; but someone with a brain demanded recognition – rightfully so, he could not deny that.

Another time, when they were at a shopping mall and she abruptly stopped next to a very costly place, Gilgamesh became annoyed, thinking that she suddenly wanted to buy something fancy. Only years of keeping his arrogant expression in place however allowed him to hide his surprise when all she did was help an elderly woman whose bag had fallen on the floor.

And since photographers seemed to always be around, that brief moment made the headlines the following morning, her small yet kind gesture receiving positive response and praise.

They knew of what the media usually published because they both read the main newspapers and magazines in the morning – both about the news and the celebrities' gossip, and Arturia absolutely despised the fact that she herself was included among the celebrities solely because of her marriage to a billionaire businessman – even if at different times and in different places.

The delivery staff brought fresh food in the morning and had the newspapers ready for Arturia, since she had breakfast at home, but Gilgamesh left before her and took his coffee at the office as he read through the news there.

Husband and wife never had breakfast together; they had already lunches and quiet dinners in each other's company.

That was enough – sometimes even too much so – since more often than not they ended up in such blunt discussions.

...

...


	18. Month

**A/N** : Diarmuid is in the story at a friend's request, therefore not for any possible 'love triangle' some people asked about; besides, he's Arturia's _cousin_ , so no incest, please.

Thank you to Jolanikati for editing :)))

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Before Arturia fully realized it, time suddenly seemed to start to flow by with a little more normalcy.

Her sister's conditions were constantly improving and, as her belly continued to grow, her pregnancy was confirmed to be proceeding well, too.

Diarmuid, the head medic, seemed to have realized that her husband looked at him as if he wanted to shoot him _on sight_ , therefore the cousins had an implicit understanding of keeping some distance and maintaining their interactions short, since he was very busy with work and she had a million things to do as well.

It wasn't too difficult: while they had respect and something akin to fondness for each other, they had not grown up together, didn't know each other very well and weren't particularly close.

Most of the nurses were polite and gentle; the head nurse, Sola-Ui – even though she insisted upon being called Madam Sophia-Ri – was the most acerbic one, while a kind man named Kariya was the nicest one.

Shirou had begun his lessons with the private tutors, something that would ensure he did not stay behind in school, and Arturia made sure to leave the hospital with him at least twice a week. Even if the boy had quickly made friends with other children at the clinic and the blonde woman approved of that, there was the whole city of Tokyo they could visit.

They never had enough time to truly go sightseeing – she had work and he refused to stay away from his mother for a long while – but they did go to several places, sometimes even just to have a meal outside, always making sure there were no reporters nearby.

Going around on foot was also a good way for Arturia to keep fit, since she did not have the opportunity to practice any sports; she had never gone to the gym, as she and her sister had had to save money as much as possible, but she had always kept an active lifestyle. She knew that in the mansion there was a gym-room where the housekeepers had told her Gilgamesh would occasionally work out, but she wasn't interested in following his example; seeing him shirtless once had already been enough, and in such an environment it was doubtless it would happen again, therefore she resolutely kept away from there.

Shirou was learning, she was working and taking care of him, and she did not have to see her husband that often. One thing that was positive about Gilgamesh was that he was not invasive in regard to what she did with her family. It was probably because he did not care much about it, but that was beside the point.

One morning, however, she was surprised to find him sitting at the breakfast table in the kitchen, staring at the newspaper's magazine's front page so intently that he didn't even notice her as she came in.

Arturia blinked and stared. He always left before her in the mornings, and she knew that he had the newspapers delivered to his office. Therefore, it was strange to see him there, especially because it was already somewhat late and he was supposed to be in Osaka the whole day.

When she greeted him and got his attention, however, he dismissed her as curtly as usual, which meant that there was nothing anomalous. She decided not to ponder over his behaviour, especially not in the morning; her husband _was_ a strange man, after all, and she would not have the beginning of her day disrupted only because he behaved more strangely than usual.

Soon afterwards, as she began to eat the meal Miss Tohsaka had prepared, he stood up, folded the whole newspaper and put it in his jacket as he went to work, not before briefly taking his leave from her.

Arturia blinked once again. There was now something seriously odd. That had been _her_ newspaper – and Gilgamesh had taken it away… why?

Was there something he did not want her to see…?

That was even odder: they had an unspoken agreement that, whenever there was anything reported by the media that could potentially be harmful, it was to be discussed.

She looked out of the window. There weren't that many reporters at this time of the day, but it was best not to risk catching their attention; however, since the deliverers had already left after bringing the fresh food, she called sweet Miss Tohsaka, asking her if she could please go buy her a copy of the day's newspaper.

The girl seemed confused and, noticing her strangely reddened eyes but avoiding commenting on them, Arturia elaborated, "My husband took the newspaper that was here with him to work. I'd like to read the news as well."

Miss Tohsaka nodded quickly and rushed out to buy what she asked, before excusing herself to go back home; she was only going to come back later in the day to cook dinner.

As soon as the newspaper – with its week's special, the magazine Gilgamesh had been studying – was in her hands, the blonde woman stared at it, dumbfounded. Then she looked at the date, to double-check.

It was exactly one month since she and Gilgamesh had gotten married. On the front page, there was a large wedding picture of the two of them, followed by a long article with all the details on the exclusive wedding of the richest man on the planet.

Already a _month_ had passed. And so many things had happened in the meantime…

Arturia remembered little of the ceremony, it was quite a blur in her memory, but she instantly recognized the moment captured in the picture nonetheless. It had been when she had reached the altar, when their eyes had locked after her nephew had called her name to compliment her.

She had to admit that the picture was a very good one. They both looked very handsome and even reasonably happy. She was smiling there, and he–

Arturia frowned.

On the wedding day, she had thought she had seen Gilgamesh have something _gentle_ in his eyes when he looked at her, but she had been certain that she had only imagined it. Now she had proof, right there, in the picture in front of her. He truly had that slightly softer look that she had thought she had only made-up at the time.

Gilgamesh… had been late for his beloved work… remaining there at the breakfast table… just to stare at that picture?

It was possible that he had just been staring at _himself_ , but she did not associate that kind of vanity with her husband; the only realistic conclusion was that he had been examining _their_ picture. He had been staring at the front page and she had not seen his eyes move much, therefore it meant that he had not even bothered reading the article.

It was too long for her to have the time to read it in full – it also continued on page four, five, six, seven and eight – but some sentences caught her eye as she quickly scanned the whole thing.

… _incredibly rich and successful businessman Gilgamesh Uruk tied the knot with his lovely fiancée Arturia Pendragon one month ago_ …

… _highly regarded but notoriously ruthless in his field of work, astonished the world by marrying an outsider, a woman so beneath his status_ …

… _but all the doubters were quieted when seeing the look on his face as the bewitching bride walked down the aisle, for no one had ever seen Mr. Uruk express so much affection_ …

… _Mrs. Uruk has never been intimidated by the attention and seems to be at ease in her role, as the art galas in Kyoto have shown_ …

… _this newspaper's editorial staff sincerely congratulates the happy couple on their one-month anniversary, and hopes their fabulous marriage sets an example for the future generations_.

Arturia put the newspaper's magazine back on the table. She was a bit uncertain about what to think in regards to the article.

It was very positive that there wasn't anything particularly malicious written in it; as far as she had been able to see, in fact, it was full of praises. That was what she and Gilgamesh had wanted: give the impression of a 'happy couple'. They had apparently succeeded, even though she felt the deception weighing down on her more strongly than ever.

Yet as Gilgamesh had said, it could not be helped. They had agreed on the deception and on everything that came with it.

Well then. It was their one-month anniversary. They had been living together for a _month_ without any attempt at killing each other – their discussions had never reached truly angry levels – and that had to count for something.

Gilgamesh was going to be in Osaka most of the day, but he was going to be home by half past six in the evening. She didn't have work – it was a Saturday – therefore she was going to spend the morning with Shirou at the hospital. Miss Tohsaka would come in the early afternoon to clean the kitchen and start preparing dinner, and the blonde woman decided she was going to talk with the girl about cooking together for the evening.

Arturia enjoyed cooking, but she had never had the opportunity to do so since moving to Japan – they had a staff for a reason, as Gilgamesh stressed – and she missed it. However, it was supposed to be a special day, more or less, and just this once, she wanted to make an effort.

Maybe, if Miss Tohsaka was not keen on sharing the kitchen with someone else, she could give her the evening free; that would do too.

Mind made up, Arturia finished her breakfast, cleaned up the table and left for the hospital.

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When Arturia arrived home, it was later than she had planned.

Shirou had had a lot to tell her about his lessons, and therefore lunch had lasted longer than usual. She had also decided to walk home, since it was true that it was the 'one-month anniversary', but the reporters had not increased in number around the house, and therefore she had managed to slip towards the garage and then make her way inside the house without being seen by any of the usual stalkers of the mansion.

As she was going to the kitchen to talk with Miss Tohsaka, she was very much taken aback at hearing peculiar sounds coming from the room. To anyone else, they would have probably been nothing particularly strange, but Arturia recognized them instantly.

In the month before her coma, following Kiritsugu's death, she had heard Iri cry herself to sleep too many times to ever be able to forget it. Someone was sobbing in the kitchen, and she could make an accurate guess on whom it was.

Arturia opened the room's door to find Miss Tohsaka sitting on a chair, a cuisine book open on her knees, and sniffling and weeping as she went through the pages. The girl squealed when she heard the noise, and immediately jumped up – the book falling on the floor – rapidly drying her face with her apron and plastering one of the most awfully fake façades of cheerfulness on her face.

"Mrs. Uruk–! I… am so sorry…! I didn't mean…–"

Arturia ignored her apologies and took a few steps forward to get closer to her.

"Miss Tohsaka," she said gently, displeased at seeing the girl avoid her gaze and desperately try to hold back her tears. "Miss Tohs-… _Sakura_ ," she said, voice getting firmer. "Please tell me what is wrong."

She stared at the eighteen-year-old girl until she collapsed on the floor, clutching herself and sobbing again, no longer attempting to uselessly hide her feelings, clearly having been trying to suppress them for far too long. Arturia kneeled down next to her, pulling her closer and letting her cry her tears out, at the same time observing her keenly. Sakura had always shown to be a kind and shy girl, and the blonde woman was determined to find out what was upsetting her.

As soon as she was coherent enough to be able to speak again, Sakura quietly informed her of the reason for her tears.

Just a few months before, both her parents had died, leaving her and her younger sister without much money and alone in the world. Sakura had been very lucky to find a job at the Uruk household, which was not full-time yet was paid very well. However, her sister – Rin was her name – was only five years old, and since they could not afford a babysitter, when she was not at school she was often left alone at home. On this particular day, Rin had gotten a very high fever, and Sakura was beside herself with worry, having had to leave her alone – yet again – to go to work. Their neighbourhood was not the safest either, and she was even more fearful because of that.

Arturia immediately stood up, taking a few tissues and calmly drying Sakura's tears, which were still flowing. Then she went to the fridge, looking for the large amount of soup the girl had cooked the evening before that she and Gilgamesh had not touched because they had had dinner at a small restaurant next to the offices. Pouring it into a pot and carefully closing it hermetically, she gently shoved it into Sakura's hands.

Looking her in the eye seriously, Arturia said, "Sakura, you're taking this soup home to Rin right now, and you are free for the day. Here is the pharmacist's number," she quickly wrote it on a piece of paper and attached it to the pot, "to go take paracetamol for your sister and ask for a doctor's visit. Give them my name and it will be put on the Uruks' list."

Sakura stared at her, wide-eyed, and then shook her head vigorously.

"Mrs. Uruk, I could never…!"

Arturia shook her head as well.

"Sakura, please, I go by the name Ria. I can cook, and if you're not here for one evening, it will be perfectly fine. Go take care of your sister, and don't worry, you haven't lost your job. I will call tomorrow morning to check on you."

Lips trembling, Sakura bit on them and then, shaking, nodded, tears gathering in her eyes again.

"Mrs. Uruk, I mean, Mrs. Ria… I… I don't know how to thank you…"

Arturia gave her a sharp look.

"If you really want to thank me, then make sure that the next time something serious happens, you will ask for the day free _immediately_."

The girl looked floored at those words; she shifted uncomfortably on the spot, and suddenly, Arturia understood why she had not said anything and had tried to keep up her work even though she was distressed.

"It's because of Gilgamesh… or rather, Mr. Uruk, isn't it?" she gently asked, and Sakura turned ashen.

But the blonde woman gave her a small smile. She had guessed where the problem lay.

"I understand that my husband can be quite… intimidating. Please confer with me on such matters from now on."

She then helped her hold the pot more securely. "Now, off you go. Until tomorrow, Sakura."

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Osaka was a city Gilgamesh found decent enough, but that did not mean he wasn't glad about coming back to Tokyo. The negotiations had gone well, and on Monday the deals were going to be signed right away. The new offices in Hong Kong had been opened very recently and were now already fully operational, and that meant that his business was going to grow even more.

Work had been hectic that day, and it was just as well, since he had needed to occupy his mind after seeing the newspapers in the morning. He refused to indulge in such thoughts any longer though.

What Gilgamesh had expected was to arrive home, have the usual quiet yet strangely comfortable dinner with his wife, take a shower before or after that, and get some sleep. What he had _not_ expected was to find Arturia in the kitchen, calmly cooking a typical European dinner all on her own.

"Good evening and welcome home, Gilgamesh," she said, seeming to be the picture of complete serenity.

He raised an eyebrow. What was his wife doing in the kitchen? Where was the cook?

"Arturia," he greeted evenly, his eyes briefly scanning the room before landing back on her. "What are you doing? And where is the Tohsaka girl? I pay her a very substantial salary. Why is she not doing her work?"

"Sakura has gone home," she replied, still perfectly calm and composed.

His eyes narrowed. He did not miss the fact that she used the cook's first name, and that made him suspicious.

"On whose orders?"

"Mine. I am your wife, Gilgamesh. And even though we both know our reasons for marrying, when we wrote the contract we made sure that we would take part in an equal marriage. This house's employees are not just _your_ employees anymore."

She sighed, knowing that he expected – and she owed him – a little more explanation. "Sakura's younger sister is very sick – she didn't even want to tell me until I forced her to – so I sent her home. And I am perfectly capable of taking care of dinner, if _that's_ what worries you."

He narrowed his eyes even more.

"Dinner itself is of small importance. The real matter is that employees do not have the right to leave whenever they please; and if they indeed have emergencies, they should make the effort of informing me of them."

Arturia had reprimanded Sakura for the same reasons, but she had also understood why the girl had not been able to tell them of her personal problems.

Her eyes were sharp and cold, as was her voice.

"Gilgamesh, don't tell me that you don't to see that your staff feels frightened by your unapproachable ways. They would never dare ask anything, too afraid of the consequences. Your reputation as a fair but ruthless businessman is not limited to your field of work."

Her eyes were glaring at him fiercely. "Sakura is young. She is terribly scared of you, and she truly needs this job she's actually very good at. She didn't even ask _me_ for anything – it was entirely my decision to send her home. So don't even think about having the girl pay the consequences for something I am responsible for."

Mildly impressed and at the same time amused by her words, he was silent for a moment. He couldn't really complain about anything, since Arturia had taken care of things already. It was also likely that she had taken the matter to heart because the girl's situation reminded her of what her own had been like merely a few months before.

He suppressed a sigh. Just this once, but _only_ this once, he would leave the matter be.

"I understand your point. However, make sure to keep the staff under control from now on. Tell the girl she should speak of her emergencies, instead of hiding them."

However, Arturia shook her head, making him raise an eyebrow again.

"Then tell her yourself, Gilgamesh. You owe that to her. She is not scared of me, but of _you_. Prove that you can be human towards the people you employ."

There was silence again, until he heaved a small sigh, no longer feeling like suppressing it. It had been a long day – and his wife did have a point, as much as he detested admitting it.

"Fine. I will speak to her."

He left the room to go take a shower, feeling strange. Since when had conversations with Arturia become such an unsettling experience?

Gilgamesh shook those thoughts away. He was just feeling fatigued because of the long day. In a few minutes, during dinner, everything was going to be back to normal.

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	19. Kind Light

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When he was back from taking a brief shower, Gilgamesh remained standing in the kitchen's door frame for a while, observing Arturia as she seemed to be completely at ease in the kitchen. Since the cook was not there, they could have ordered something at a takeaway – she could have ordered something _hours_ ago – but it was obvious that she had not even considered such a thing.

"You like cooking."

Startled by his remark since she had not heard him approach, she looked up at him.

"Yes, I do."

He did not say anything else, but simply continued to stare at her, following her movements with his eyes.

By doing so, he suddenly noticed that her fingers seemed to be missing something. And with a strange, unidentifiable constriction in his chest, he realized that what was missing was the wedding band. Lifting his eyes from her hands, he found the chain, barely visible around her neck, and let his gaze linger on it.

Well, they _had_ agreed on the wedding ring matter, but still…

To take his mind off those unreasonable thoughts, certainly induced by tiredness, he addressed her.

"Perhaps, since the Tohsaka girl is indeed very young, we could give her one or two evenings free every week, in which we can go out for dinner, or cook on our own."

She stared at him in surprise, as that was an unexpected kindness towards Sakura. And the second part of his sentence…

He had not said that _she_ was going to cook, but that _they_ were. When she registered the implications of what such a thing meant, she gaped at him.

" _You_ can _cook_?" she uttered, complete disbelief in her voice.

He was very much amused by her reaction.

"Of course. Are you surprised?"

She huffed, taking out the dishes for their dinner.

"Of course I'm surprised, Gilgamesh. I had no idea that the king of arrogance actually knew his way around the kitchen. Do you really think that the image of you in an apron is something that would come easily to anyone?"

He merely shrugged as he took a step forward to actually help her put the heavy pot of stew on the table.

"You have made your assumptions without ever confirming them, Arturia."

She sat down, bewildered at his gesture and disconcerted at his words because they were actually true.

All she could think of saying blurted out.

"In any case, as pointless as it is to say… one month of this marriage arrangement is over, and I'm glad it went off rather well, Gilgamesh." Her eyes narrowed for a second. "But next time, please don't take the newspaper with you to work."

He gave her a flat look, understanding that she had seen the picture on the front page of the magazine. Pouring them both a generous amount from his favourite wine, of which he always kept a bottle near the dinner table, he inclined his glass in her direction.

"Your concern is noted. As you said, it _is_ quite pointless to say, but in any case… yes, I find myself having to admit that I am satisfied as well with how this arrangement has worked out this past month… Arturia."

They started to eat in silence and, for once, it was a weirdly peaceful one.

Things were finally settling down, even if slowly, and there was an impression of normalcy, something Arturia had not had in her life for quite a long time. Even sharing a room with Gilgamesh was no longer too strange; they did not have to interact that often, and he had the decency of respecting her 'part of the room', as he had mockingly called it a few months before.

After all, even if she could never like a man like Gilgamesh, she had learned this about him: he did not give his word often, but when he did, he was a man who stayed true to it.

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The following morning, Arturia called Sakura on the phone.

The purple-haired girl was glad to let her know that her sister was getting better, and then proceeded to hectically thank her for giving her the evening free and at the same time apologize profusely because it had been the Uruks' one-month wedding anniversary and she had not congratulated her on it and–

Arturia stopped her waterfall of words by gently telling that it was no problem at all, and then told her of Gilgamesh's suggestion. Sakura was at a loss of what to say, especially after she heard that _Mr. Uruk_ had been the one to offer it. Then the blonde woman made the Tohsaka's brain nearly go in overload when she said that she was about to put her husband on the receiver.

Under his wife's expectant gaze, Gilgamesh enquired about Sakura's sister a little stiffly, and then told her briefly to inform him of any other emergencies she might have. He was not a slaver, he explained concisely, and if she needed time for her sister's health, all she had to do was say so.

When he hung up, he informed Arturia with a clipped tone that the girl on the other end of the line had probably had a heart attack, judging from the squeaking he had heard.

She shook her head and told him that that had probably been because she didn't know how else to express her shocked happiness. She briefly mentioned to him what Sakura had told her about her neighbourhood not being the safest and having already made arrangements to move away as soon as Rin was recovered, and then Arturia asked him something else.

"Gilgamesh, I was thinking about another thing as well. Sakura's younger sister, Rin, is five years old, the same age as Shirou. On days in which I bring my nephew here, would it be fine with you if I told Sakura to take her sister with her as well? This way, she can look after her sister while doing her job, and both children will be able to interact with other people."

He thought it through. As long as the brats did not disturb him in his work when he worked from home, it would not pose a problem. In the contract they had after all agreed on the fact that Arturia could invite whomever she wanted; furthermore, the Tohsaka girl would appreciate such an arrangement and be happier in her job position.

He told Arturia as much, and he was pleased to see that, even though she did not smile – she almost never did, after all – her expression betrayed that she was honestly pleased about it.

One month of being married to her, and Gilgamesh decided that, all things considered, the arrangements were going quite well, especially if he thought back on how it had been at the beginning.

All the scattered pieces of their – mainly _hers_ – chaotic lives were finally falling into place… weren't they?

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IRISVIEL (past)

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She and Ria had never had an easy life, that was unfortunately true, but at the very least, they had always had each other. It was one of Irisviel's certainties.

Their mother, Igraine, had been a stunningly beautiful Japanese woman, and had been married twice. The first time she had married a German man much older than her, Jubstacheit von Einzbern, but only a few months before Irisviel's birth, he had died due to a stroke.

Two years of living on her own later, single mother Igraine had moved to England and married Uther Pendragon; Arturia – or rather, Ria – had been born shortly after. While Uther considered Irisviel his own child, both he and Igraine had always had a somewhat detached relationship with the two girls. They cared about them and held some love towards them, but they were not their confidantes. They did not have a relationship that was close enough for that.

That was the reason why Ria and Irisviel had instead always been very close.

Irisviel had been delighted at having a younger sister to teach and care for; soon enough, however, that had changed. Because of her sickly constitution, their roles had been reversed and young Ria had become the one to take care of _her_.

Her beloved Ria may be three years younger, but she was the strong one. She was the one who stayed up late at night to make sure she took her medicines at the right time. She was the one who, in spite of being so harmless-looking and petite, accompanied her to school to stare the bullies down and chase them away when they made fun of her strange looks. She was the one who comforted her whenever she felt like she was being a burden to her parents with her poor health.

Ria was _always_ there _with_ her – and _for_ her.

If there was a person whose courage and dedication Irisviel would always admire, it was her sister.

Neither of the two cared about the fact that they were actually half-sisters and not real sisters, as their surnames constantly reminded them; that was because, even though their parents did care about them, they had only each other to _truly_ rely on. Besides, they had long since learned that blood relations were not what made a family.

When she was eleven and Ria eight, they moved to Japan, their mother Igraine's homeland. Both sisters loved it there, and the following ten years were of quiet but reasonably peaceful life, even with the money troubles they had. It was true, after all, that they were not rich and her health remained fragile even as she grew up, but they had each other, their family, and that was all that mattered.

As soon as she finished high school, Irisviel decided to take a two-year sports journalism course. She was particularly interested in cars, mechanics and engines; she had a very keen eye for them, and was able to talk and write about them cleverly and in detail. During those two years, she also started to work part-time as a maid in a café to pay for the school expenses, and Ria joined her there as soon as she was old enough.

It was there that Irisviel met Kiritsugu Emiya.

For her, it had been love at first sight. He was a fireman, he was from America and was in Japan to visit some friends, who coincidentally were Irisviel's friends, too. Slowly, the two of them got to know each other; Irisviel's initial crush deepened and he fell in love with her as well. Not long after confessing their feelings, they decided to get married.

Irisviel was happy then. She had the younger sister she loved dearly close to her, and she was about to get married to her fiancée.

Before that could happen, though – they had just received Uther and Igraine's blessing – a terrible event occurred. Her parents boarded a plane for a short routine flight between two main cities of Japan, and the plane crashed in a devastating accident. Nothing could be done to save the passengers.

The two sisters were their respective strength after that. Kiritsugu was Irisviel's silent support as well, and he suggested that a change of places might be a positive influence.

She thought about it and agreed to move to the US with him, but only on the condition that her sister accompanied them as well, to start college abroad. Kiritsugu was not the happiest – he and Ria did not like each other very much and always had difficulties in getting along – but Irisviel refused to budge on that. Her sister would come with them, or they would not go.

Therefore, the three of them moved to the state of New York, where Irisviel and Kiritsugu got married.

Kiritsugu resumed his work as a firefighter and Iri took up a full-time job as a maid once again, while also looking for jobs in which she could make use of her journalist qualification. Ria started college in the field of economics and business management, and she worked part-time with her sister too.

The following two years were relatively peaceful, even though it was heavily focused on working since they were not all too rich.

Ria and Kiritsugu weren't particularly fond of each other, because they had little in common except their love for Irisviel. Hers was sisterly love, his was conjugal love, but the white-haired woman was dear to them both. As people, they were incredibly different, and had it not been for Irisviel, they would never have tolerated one another. But for the sake of the woman they both cared about, they made an effort to set their differences aside and get along in a passable manner.

One day, however, their lives took another unexpected turn. In a huge fire that killed several families, Kiritsugu ended up badly hurt during his efforts of saving the people, and he managed to bring only a young two-year-old boy to safety. The little child was orphaned because of that fire, and Irisviel and Kiritsugu decided to adopt him.

It was very unlikely they would ever have children of their own because of Irisviel's sickly constitution, but they did wish for a child and were both shaken by the tragedy that had befallen the boy, whose name was Shirou.

Ria wholeheartedly approved of that gentle decision and actively supported them; she was in fact the one who took care of the paperwork and looked after the little boy during the first few weeks, since Irisviel was with Kiritsugu at the hospital where he was recovering from his wounds. However, the blonde woman was honest, and she told her sister what she thought: it was going to be very hard to afford.

Ria knew that her sister was going to be an attentive and loving mother to little Shirou, and she did her best to become a stable figure in his life as 'Auntie Ria' as well. But she also knew that it was going to be hard to manage, with their meagre incomes, and she did not attempt to make reality appear prettier than it was.

Unexpectedly, the biggest change that ensued was a shift in Kiritsugu and Ria's interactions. Having a son and having been so close to death made her husband a more sombre man than he already was, and that meant that he got along a little better with Ria, whose usual stern and serious expression seemed to have become permanent on her face during that period of time.

After a while, Kiritsugu was released from the hospital, but he wasn't completely recovered, and had to go back for regular check-ups for over a year; he basically went in and out of the place for several months, unable to resume his work.

That period was difficult for Irisviel, who had no choice but to give up her job to dedicate all her time to her son and husband, disregarding her own health as she did so. Those months were torture for Ria as well: even though her brother-in-law was not her favourite person, she had never wished anything bad to happen to him, and she could see how much her sister was suffering. Ria loved her sister unconditionally and became deeply fond of her nephew Shirou as she looked after him; everything was made harder by the fact that in the meantime she had to continue with college as well.

After another month of continuous check-ups, Kiritsugu was given clearance to resume his job once again – but that was what sealed his fate.

The following fire operation he took part in ended badly, and he died after two more weeks of being bedridden.

It was impossible to describe Irisviel's overwhelming agony: the man she loved more than anyone else in the world died, leaving her forever.

But she struggled – struggled hard – to keep up a façade of calmness for her son's sake. She did not want to allow herself to forget that she had a younger sister and a son, not even in her deep grief.

Ria did all she could to be there for her during the weeks of profound sadness that followed. The blonde woman knew that Irisviel loved her and Shirou the most in the world after her husband, and she made sure both of them were there with her.

Shirou was very young and he had already gone through one tragedy before; losing his adopted father was the second one. Ria would _never_ allow him to go through a third one; she also did not want him to witness his mother spiralling into depression, and did all she could to support Irisviel. She had to be even more careful though, because Irisviel's already fragile health could be severely affected by her unhappiness too.

Another huge problem Ria had to deal with in that period was the complete absence of an income. She had just spent the summer interning at a huge company, Uruk Enterprises, and she had not resumed her job at the café because Kiritsugu had not yet recovered completely back then, and she had therefore spent her time between classes and taking care of her nephew.

It was her last year of college as well, and Irisviel knew that it had been an excruciating time for Ria, even though she did all she could to ignore it so to not worry her.

Desperate for an opportunity, while Kiritsugu was still bedridden, Ria had decided to apply for a job at the same company where she had been interning and, to her own surprise, had landed a part-time occupation that was well-paid. That did not mean that things got any easier though, because she still had to manage school, family and now work, apparently under a very arrogant and demanding boss who only made her life more complicated than it already was.

As Irisviel knew very well though, Ria was tenacious, and she pushed herself to her limits without letting that affect her.

After Kiritsugu died, it broke Ria's heart, again and again, to see how much her sister suffered, and how she frantically attempted to keep up a happy front for Shirou. The little boy was not stupid, and he was glad for his mother's affection, but he could see how hard the situation was being for the two adults; he missed his father, and he knew that his mother missed him much more than he did.

And Ria had to hide her sorrow as well. The little boy deserved better, her sister deserved better, her brother-in-law would have wanted better for them and had done his best to achieve that. But they were breaking, and she needed to be their strength.

Having to finish school, work to support her sad sister and nephew and also make time for him, because she would never allow him to be neglected… That period was probably the worst of Ria's life.

However, very tentatively, after several weeks of almost emotionless numbness, Irisviel began to crawl out of her shell, because her sister and her son's steady affection was slowly starting to heal her.

She was rewarded with Shirou's smiles and Ria's softening eyes each time she made an effort to go back to her usual self, and that gave her more resolve. Her sorrow had weakened her body and, at first, she had difficulties even in getting up from her bed.

But, gradually, her loving sister always steadfast by her side and her son's happiness as objective in her mind, Irisviel found the strength to try.

She had loved Kiritsugu very dearly, and even though she missed him terribly, she knew he would have wanted her to find it in herself to be happy again.

Seeing Shirou's smile every morning as he jumped on her bed carefully and asked her how she felt both warmed her heart and made her feel an inadequate mother. She knew that his doting over her was a result of Ria's influence; he was able to look after himself and he was more mature than what his age could suggest – there was only one person he could have learned that from. In fact, his behaviour reminded her a lot of Ria's sometimes.

What she really wanted – and what Kiritsugu had really wanted as well – was for her son to be happy, and to grow up with love.

Yet she could not give him that in her current state.

But that wasn't all. She also wanted her beloved younger sister _not_ to have to be her constant support, as she had been ever since she had been born. Ria had the right to live her own life instead of always being burdened by hers.

To do all that, Irisviel needed to be strong. She needed to take responsibility for the decisions she had made. She needed to be a mother, for she had chosen to be one, and it was high time for her to be one _for real_. She needed to truly be the elder sister, for once.

She needed to…

…wake up.

Not just figuratively, but also _literally_.

She had to _wake up_.

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Basked in the dim morning light that was entering the hospital clinic's bedroom little by little, Irisviel von Einzbern slowly opened her eyes.

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	20. Irisviel

**A/N** : Warning: some parts regarding Irisviel make strong references to depression, and from now on there will be sections in her POV.

Thank you to Jolanikati for editing!

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MAIN (present)

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When she received the phone call from the hospital, Arturia jumped out of bed in her nightgown, completely uncaring of the fact that it was five in the morning. She did remember that Gilgamesh was in the same room, but the ringing of the phone had already disturbed his sleep anyway.

In the darkness of the place, he studied her with mild irritation through his sleep-laden eyes, and she turned towards him as soon as she finished throwing some clothes on herself.

"Iri has woken up," was all she said, before going to the bathroom to look for a few items she might need to take with her.

To her enormous surprise, when she came back into the bedroom Gilgamesh had put on some clothes as well and was looking as composed as ever, not like someone who had just been woken up in the middle of the night.

"I'm coming with you."

She opened her mouth in protest, knowing that he had two meetings in the morning, but he cut her off smoothly.

"I won't be in the room and shock your sister into passing out again, but I _will_ go with my wife to the hospital."

Of course – keeping up appearances, she guessed, and was startled at feeling a small, minimal twinge in her chest. She willed herself to ignore it and preceded him out of the room, without glancing back.

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At the hospital, Shirou was still sleeping while the doctors talked briefly with Irisviel.

They explained where she was, how long she had been in a coma and why, giving her a few details about her illness. They also mentioned the fact that she was pregnant – not that her large, occasionally kicking six-month belly could leave her confused for long – told her that her son was asleep in the room next to hers and kindly informed her that her sister was on her way.

Within half-an-hour, Arturia was seated next to her, tears glistening in her eyes, holding her hand and smiling at her more widely than she had been smiling in a long, long time.

The white-haired woman felt her eyes getting wet as well. She had been over three months in a coma, leaving her sister and her son to worry about her.

She tried to move slightly in her bed, but it took effort to just lift a hand, so she gave up on her attempt to reach the linens. Her sister, however, took notice of it, and quietly tucked her covers more securely around her. Iri gave her a wry smile.

"I am so sorry, Ria. I have no idea how these months must have been for you and Shirou, and I'm so sor–"

"Iri, shhh," Arturia immediately stopped her. "Please… you have nothing to apologize for." Her smile appeared once again. "Shirou is well. He is still sleeping in the room next to this; I'll wake him up soon."

Her fingers caressed her sister's hand. "How are you feeling?" she asked, softly. "Especially regarding the unexpected pregnancy?"

Iri blinked briefly, and then her features distended.

"Physically, quite weak, but better than I thought. There's quite the weight on my belly, but that is to be expected. I had never thought… I never thought I'd _ever_ get pregnant, but it doesn't shock me as much as it probably should."

Her dark red eyes, which had been closed for over three months, focused on her sister with a heavy look. "There are other things that shock me much more. Ria… why are we in Japan? And how am I in one of the most exclusive of Tokyo's clinics?"

Arturia's smile reduced a bit, but did not disappear. She had always known that she would have to explain everything, eventually.

"It's a long story, Iri. If you are feeling well enough, I will summarize it… but if you'd rather rest–"

Iri shook her head.

"Please tell me everything."

Arturia took a deep breath. She had a truly long story to tell; it was best to make it short, but without skipping any of the important details.

"After you collapsed inexplicably, it was little Shirou who called the emergency number, and you were brought to the hospital. I was told… not only about your pregnancy, but also about the fact that you were ill. The only way to heal you was through extremely expensive treatments." She paused briefly. "You weren't simply in a coma, Iri. _You and your baby were dying_."

She took another deep breath, and appeared to be almost apologetic. "Please understand, Iri… you were sick, Shirou was desperate and I had to find the money to pay for the cure."

Irisviel stared at her, aghast, trying in vain to hide the dread that was slowly filling her.

Oh no. _Oh no_. They were currently in such a luxurious place; therefore, her sister must have indeed found the means to pay for it. What had Ria had to do to obtain the money? They were not rich… they did not have possessions to sell, they did not have anything valuable enough…

Arturia took yet another slow, deep breath, before bringing up something that seemingly didn't have anything to do with what she was talking about.

"On the same day you fell into a coma– actually, only mere hours before, I was on a social outing with my college and work colleagues. On that occasion… my boss, Gilgamesh Uruk, proposed to me."

Irisviel was honestly surprised at hearing that. Wasn't her boss an awfully arrogant, unpleasant, and conceited man…? A man who had done nothing but make her life difficult at work _and_ on such social outings…?

As if reading her thoughts, Arturia nodded.

"It's exactly as you're thinking. He was _extremely_ arrogant in the way he addressed me, so I ended up refusing him with a slap to the cheek."

Iri chuckled, amazed.

"You… what?"

She wasn't truly surprised at the gesture – she knew Ria stood up against arrogance whenever she could – but this was still her boss they were talking about… and one of the richest men in the world, if she recalled correctly. For some reason, this specific thought nagged at her, and she frowned slightly.

Arturia went on, "Believe me, Iri, he deserved it. In any case, I later came to wish I hadn't done it, because it would have made the following day easier."

Iri only stared at her mutely.

"As soon as I heard about your condition, I was frantic about finding the money – but you know how impossible that would have been. The only solution I could think of is the decision I ultimately made."

She hesitated, but she had to get things over with quickly. "I went to Gilgamesh, apologized, made a contract with him… and, well, here we are."

Irisviel stared, wide-eyed. Surely, she did not mean…

Her gaze fell on her sister's left hand almost unconsciously. There was no ring there.

Arturia watched her with barely veiled anxiety, before taking out the chain around her neck, showing her the wedding ring and pronouncing the last words carefully, "I'm now married to him, Iri."

Iri's eyes went impossibly wide. She shook her head, stifling the mild pain it caused her.

"Wait. Ria, _wait_. You are making fun of me. You slapped your boss, then apologized, and then _got married_ to him?"

Arturia merely nodded, without adding anything. That was _exactly_ what had happened.

Iri looked ready to have a seizure, and the blonde woman quickly gripped her hand, holding it steadfastly.

"Iri… Iri, _listen_ _to me_. I had no other choice. Gilgamesh needed a wife for the good of his public image; I needed money. We both got what we wanted, and aside from having to live with him – he's, um, some kind of a roommate," actually a _manor_ -mate, but that was not the point, "…the only real thing that changed is my surname."

That actually managed to make Irisviel smile, but just barely. She stared at the wall in front of her, trying to wrap her mind around her sister's words.

Arturia was not finished though. "Iri… I understand that it's a lot to take in. But there are a few other things, too."

Waiting for her sister to bring her eyes back on her, she continued, "As you certainly understand, you can't tell anyone about the contract between Gilgamesh and I. You are in fact the only person, aside from Enkidu – Gilgamesh's best friend, that hopelessly cheerful man – who knows about it. Not even Shirou knows the truth. Also…" She hesitated. "You need to be careful with the people you talk to, mainly because of the press's attention on this, but– _Iri_!"

Iri almost screamed in hysterics, and tried, succeeding this time, to sit up on the bed, ignoring her fatigue, her aching muscles and her depleted state.

" _Ria!_ What is that man doing to you!? _What has he done to you_?! What do you mean, the _press_!? What has your life become? What is he doing, _what is he forcing you to do_ , how _dare_ he try to–…!"

" _Iri_ , calm down _immediately_! You will hurt yourself and your baby!" Arturia firmly exclaimed, keeping however her voice low, hoping that Shirou had not been woken up by the noise.

Iri knew that it was never a good idea to defy an angry Ria, therefore she made an effort to breathe slowly and calm down a little. But what her sister had just said…

Seeing her a bit more composed, Arturia resumed her tale, in a much gentler tone.

"I should have been more specific when I mentioned the contract. Gilgamesh is financing everything that I ask him to; in exchange, I am to be his wife in the eyes of the public, which means that reporters are always around looking for a scoop on my private life with him. You and Shirou should more or less be out of the main storm of it, but I can't promise that you won't somehow get dragged into it anyway."

That was not what truly worried Iri, and her following words clearly expressed what her real concern was.

"Ria, being in a coma has not rendered me completely stupid. Having to be his wife in the eyes of the public means that you… you have agreed to more than just lies to give to the rest of the world… you have agreed to a life of _deception_." Her eyes were brimming with tears. "You, a person who hates deceit and falsehood of any kind, you have agreed to marry an arrogant _stranger_ because you needed money just to _save my life_ …?"

A few tears escaped her eyes. "Ria… do you even realize the magnitude of what you have sacrificed for it?"

When Arturia did not give her a reply, letting her know that she actually did realize it but _did not care_ , Iri insisted, "How long is this arrangement going to last?"

For the first time, Arturia was seriously taken aback.

That… was actually a very good question.

She searched her memory, frowning. Impossible. How could she and Gilgamesh have overlooked making a decision on such an important matter…? Even though she had the distinct impression that he did not intend to accept something like a divorce any time soon, they had never actually talked about it.

However, she could not waste time in pondering over this. She knew little of her husband's actual plans for the future, but she told Iri what had already been arranged.

"To answer your earlier question… we are in Japan now because Gilgamesh intends to remain here for about two years, to run the main headquarters of Uruk Enterprises. After that period of time, we will probably move back to the US."

Iri was still in a weakened state, but that did not stop her from narrowing her eyes at her sister. She was still quite horrified at the whole matter.

"I asked another question earlier, Ria… what kind of man is your… husband? Is it safe for you to be anywhere near a person like him? What is he making you do? Is he… is he doing _things_ to you? Is he a psychopath? Is he some sort of crazy sociopath obsessed with you, or some other kind of insane monster? Or–"

" _Iri_ ," Arturia's soothing voice broke through her tirade. She knew that Iri was the type to often read the news, especially the sections about crimes. She had to reassure her on that point right away.

"Please do not immediately jump to the worst conclusions. First of all, the marriage is blanc. Then, Gilgamesh and I actually don't spend much time in each other's company. We share a room and occasionally a meal, but we don't even interact that often. We have work and we are busy. And, in all honesty, he isn't that bad… sometimes he actually manages to be bearable."

Her small smile did not entirely convince Iri, but it was a step in the right direction.

Arturia stood up. She had talked more than enough about her husband. There was someone much more important in her sister's life who still didn't know that Iri was awake.

"Now, let's wake up your son. Be prepared to learn all about his milk teeth."

She almost winked at her sister, before stepping into Shirou's bedroom. The boy was still fast asleep as she gently shook him awake.

"Shirou… Shirou," she called, bringing him out of his slumber, and was relieved when she finally saw him rub his eyes and stare at her with a bleary expression.

"Auntie Ria?" he yawned, looking at her with puzzlement.

Arturia smiled brilliantly at him.

"There is a wonderful surprise in the other room. Don't you want to say good morning to mommy?"

His golden eyes widened and he returned her smile broadly, before immediately running towards the door.

" _Mommy!_ " he screamed in joy at seeing his mother awake, and jumped straight on her bed and into her awaiting arms, not missing the look of pure affection with which she was regarding him.

"Shirou…!" she murmured, cradling her son to her chest.

He did not break the embrace for a long time, holding his mother as close as possible – with the pregnant belly in the middle – and clutching almost frantically at her.

"Don't leave again, mommy…!" he murmured quietly into her hospital robe, his sobbing tone making it clear that he had burst into tears, and Arturia deemed it wise to make her exit for at least a brief while. Waving a little in her sister's direction, she left the room, closing the door behind her.

And she stared, dumbfounded.

Gilgamesh was still there, sitting on a chair in the corridor, quite an annoyed expression on his face. He had obviously – or rather, not quite so obviously – been waiting for her.

"I assume from the boy's yell that he is aware of the fact that his mother is conscious," he said, nothing in his tone and composure betraying the fact that it was very early in the morning and he had not even had breakfast yet.

Arturia nodded, a little uncertain. She had thought that he had gone back home or even to the office, she had not expected him to wait here outside the room; she didn't quite know what to make of it.

He made the decision for her. Standing up, he took her arm – his grip oddly not forceful – guiding her towards the dining area of the hospital. When she tried to object, he did not let her.

"We haven't had breakfast yet, and while I doubt your sister is allowed to eat regular food at the moment, you should get something for your nephew as well."

That made all her protests die away instantly, and deciding to ignore his strangely thoughtful words, a few minutes later she found herself taking slow gulps of her tea while he was sipping on his black coffee. With a small tray containing hot milk and a few donuts – Arturia disapproved of that hyper-caloric food, but she thought she could spoil her nephew, just this once – they went back to Iri's room.

Right outside, however, Arturia paused. Gilgamesh seemed to intend to follow her into the room, and she was not sure whether it was a good idea. Iri had not reacted positively when she had told her about him, after all…

He partially guessed her thoughts, and smirked.

"I do hold some curiosity about meeting the woman whose health is the primary reason for which you made a contract with me." Seeing that she was still uncertain, his smirk widened. "Don't worry, Arturia. Your sister has nothing to fear from me."

She raised an eyebrow. That was the least of her concerns.

"I'm more worried about what _she_ can do to you, Gilgamesh. She hasn't taken the news of the marriage too well, but since she's still a long way from being completely recovered, I just hope she doesn't overexert herself in manifesting her distrust towards you right now."

She did not wait to see his reaction and entered the room. Shirou was still in his mother's arms, whispering something in her ear as she smiled at him.

Both looked up at them. Shirou's face lit up at seeing the breakfast and even more at seeing the man who followed his aunt, even though he did not attempt to leave his mother's loving embrace.

"Uncle Gilgamesh!" he exclaimed, extending a hand towards him, as if to beckon him closer.

Both his aunt and uncle approached the bed, Arturia laying down the tray before making the necessary introduction.

"Iri, this is my husband, Gilgamesh Uruk. Gilgamesh… my sister, Irisviel von Einzbern."

The two measured each other without a word. Iri could not deny that she felt quite a bit intimidated by the man, and her wariness of him seemed to increase with every passing second.

He was tall, his presence was imposing and, well, so was his ego, which seemed to flood the room. Yet at the same time, she had not missed the way her son had called him, nor the fact that he seemed accepting of it. She had also not been able to miss the way he kept extremely close to her sister.

For some reason that she could not pinpoint, Iri felt that it was probably for the best if she did not address him directly. She did not know why, but she had a feeling that he was a very complex person, and she wouldn't have been able to hold her own in a conversation with him, at least not while she was still feeling so weak.

Therefore, she spoke to her sister.

"Ria, there was no need for you to call your husband here at this time in the morning…"

Arturia gave her an odd look.

"He was actually already here, Iri. In fact – he came with me after the hospital called me earlier this morning."

Since Shirou had just sunk his teeth in a donut the wrong way and had unintentionally splashed most of the cream on her face, Iri didn't have the chance to give a reply to that, but she registered it in her mind and put it aside for later. Shirou had grown a lot in the three months of his life that she had missed, but she was glad to see that he was still the young child she knew and was not too grown up yet.

As her sister carefully helped her son clean up the mess, the white-haired woman thoughtfully let her gaze wander to the blond, crimson-eyed man.

His behaviour towards Ria was hard to define: there was possessiveness, there was arrogance, there was open amusement and yet also attentiveness and respect. A mixture of too many puzzling emotions, especially considering that she had only seen him for a few minutes, therefore making it impossible to reconcile with the man himself.

It was minimal, but she had a hunch… that perhaps… perhaps it was for the best if she waited before evaluating him. Studying him first would be to everyone's benefit, she concluded, because after all, she didn't know much about him in the first place.

Yes, she decided. She would determine her sister's husband's nature and, if he was in any way a danger around her beloved Ria, she would do her best to take care of the issue.

But in order to properly do that, she needed to heal first.

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	21. Irritation

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That same evening, after her sister had left and her son had been put to bed, Irisviel had all the time she needed to think.

It was probably brave of her to want to aid her sister; but lying in a hospital bed, she could hardly be of any help to Ria.

To be fair, she also did not know if Ria actually _needed_ any help.

Ria had _never_ needed her help, not once during their entire lives. Of course she valued her advice and listened to her, but Irisviel had never been what Ria had been to her: a true friend.

Ria had always been the one to support her, help her, defend her… all without question. Her husband, Kiritsugu, had been that to her too – but, as much as she loved him, they had had a much shorter time together. Her bond with her sister was different from the one she had had with Kiritsugu; her sister had been the one to _always_ look out for her.

 _Always_.

Ria had been – and still was – the grown up between the two of them. That had been proven with many decisions made during their lives.

For example, Irisviel had decided to adopt a little boy orphaned by a fire. The sentiment and the motivation had been nice and pure, but had she thought it through completely before deciding on it?

She would never regret that decision, because Shirou was her _son_ , her boy, and she was his mother and she loved him. But at what cost?

Had she ever considered that?

Had she ever considered the fact that she had decided to adopt a child while her husband was ill, and therefore she had not had the concrete means to look after him? Had she ever considered the fact that their jobs did not pay well and therefore they weren't doing the boy a favour, by giving him a home in which neither of his parents were going to be present to give him the love and affection he deserved?

She had meant to help and to do something good, but she had not thought things through. Not like Ria had.

And yet, it had been _Ria_ who had – once again – supported her decision. While she and Kiritsugu had slowly been recovering, Ria had handled the paperwork and had been the one to spend her time with the little boy – _she_ had been the one to actually mother him. Even as she continued with college, and her part-time job at the café, and all her commitments, she had done the impossible to be there, both for Shirou and for her, whenever there had been need of her.

An ocean of guilt crushed over Irisviel.

She had been so selfish.

Her sister had done – and was doing – everything she could for her, sometimes even _more_ than she could.

She had even _gotten married_ for her sake…! Without love, without anything else than a contract binding her to the man who had become her husband, Ria had sacrificed her future life, her possible career, her privacy, even a part of her moral code, just for her, little Shirou, and her unborn baby.

That had happened because Iri had not looked after her wellbeing, had not acted with sense and had not thought things through before making her decision – leaving Ria to deal with the mess she had created.

She, Irisviel, had failed in everything as an older sister.

Now that she was awake from her coma, what could she do, as older sister? _What could she do_?

She could not interfere with the choices Ria had made and was making, because she had no right to. As first thing, she could do what Ria had always done for her: support her in her decisions and be there for her as much as possible.

Irisviel sat a little straighter in her bed. She could not be a strong woman, probably, and she would never be able to repay her sister for all she had done for her, but she could help her by finally starting to walk on her own legs and ceasing to always lean on others.

It did not mean that she would pull away from her sister. It simply meant that she had to finally take charge of her life, as it was high time for her to do already. She was a mother, and she had a responsibility not just to herself but her son and her unborn baby as well.

She was an _adult_ , for heaven's sake.

It was time for her to start acting like one.

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Gilgamesh and Arturia had not exchanged messages through the phone in quite a while, as there was scarcely need for it.

However, after Iri woke up from the coma, Arturia began to send him texts in the afternoons to let him know that she was not going to be home for dinner, and that she had already asked Sakura to make the necessary arrangements for his meal.

Needless to say, Gilgamesh was not pleased with the change.

To a certain extent, and very reluctantly, he had to admit that it was _not_ something he could argue about with her. At the very beginning, they had agreed on the fact that her family would always come first; since her sister had just woken up, she obviously intended to spend as much time as possible with her, to be supportive of her and to fill her in on what she had missed during those months. That therefore justified her staying at the hospital until late in the evening and always missing dinner at home.

Nevertheless, it was not something he deemed acceptable. That was because he had to face it: he _disliked_ the fact that she was not around as much anymore.

For some reason, her absence at home was something he noticed quite acutely. It wasn't because he missed her though, of course not.

Or at least… not exactly.

He would not indulge his mind with those kind of thoughts. He just knew that it was not good for his image if it was known that his wife spent so much time away from him. Yes, _that_ was the reason for which he disliked her absence.

It was true that, during the first weeks of their married life, he himself had never been home much and had spent very little time with her. But, lately, he had started to get along slightly better with his wife, and they had almost settled in a sort of regular schedule of meeting and having meals together. Even though Irisviel had now woken up and Arturia obviously wanted to be with her more often, he was not happy about the fact that she was away most of the time. He saw very little of her, as she seemed to come home only to go to sleep.

In fact, she was so little at home that once he had actually been surprised at waking up and finding her still asleep, as she usually had her alarm clock set a few minutes before his. As if sensing his eyes on her, she had woken up a second later with a jolt and, upon realizing that it was later than she thought, she had frantically looked for her clothes before bolting out of the door. In the process, some locks had fallen out from her usually perfect chignon, and he had had the opportunity to notice that her hair was longer than he remembered, since the last time he had seen it unbound had been on their wedding day, and already two months had passed since then.

However, he should not have noticed such things about his wife, and they were not what he should be focusing on. The mere fact that she was busy enough not to look after her usual appearance was what confirmed, once again, that she was truly spending _too much_ time away from the place that was supposed to be her home.

He forced himself not to sigh, quashing his irritation. He had given her his word that he would not interfere with the time she spent with her family, but there were limits to that, and there were possible solutions that agreed with him. After all, he and Arturia had also promised their young cook more free evenings, and that particular fact would be perfect for him to execute his plans.

Another thing that still irritated him was that there was her cousin, that mongrel of a doctor – Darmond or something – lurking around at the hospital. It was his place of work, that was a fact, but he spent time with his wife. Too much, for Gilgamesh's tastes, especially considering that, he was not the one who was actually treating Irisviel, but just supervising her recovery.

When in the evening she sent him a text to let him know – yet again – that she would not be home for dinner, he was _done_ being patient. As soon as his working hours were finished, he drove to the hospital.

He knew he had made a good choice – or at least, one that would amuse him – when he saw his wife's astounded expression as he entered the room.

With all the tolerance he was capable of producing – which wasn't much, to be fair – he let her young nephew chatter for a while, making even the effort of listening, but only because he was well aware of the fact that Arturia would have been furious if he upset him in any way. Not that he actually minded her anger, but he did not want to provide her with excuses to refuse his subsequent request.

Therefore, when he was no longer able to control his impatience, he stood up, giving a passably civil nod to both the boy and the white-haired woman in the bed, before addressing his wife.

"It's time for us to go – we haven't had dinner yet."

Arturia slowly stood up and studied him, while the other two people in the room remained silent. Brilliant green eyes carefully examined blood red ones, trying to make sense of what was going on. After a few tense seconds, recognizing that for some reason he was serious in his request, she did not deny it by declaring she wanted to have dinner with her family or anything of the kind.

Instead, she slightly inclined her head in acceptance. She gave her nephew a kiss on the forehead before ruffling his hair, and squeezed her sister's hand briefly, before taking her workbag – she had gone straight to the hospital after work – and leaving with her husband.

During the car ride, he felt her eyes on him, staring at him in a questioning manner. She was not a fool; she knew that there had to be a reason for him to come to the clinic and pick her up. It was not a normal behaviour for him.

If she wanted an answer, however, he was going to give her a question.

"Arturia, when was the last time you had dinner at home?" he asked, his tone controlled and casual.

She stared at him strangely, and suddenly narrowed her eyes as she began to understand. He couldn't actually mean…

"What exactly are you trying to say– or imply, Gilgamesh?"

He did not mean to let it slip, but for some reason or another, he seemed to say more than he should when this woman was involved.

"Your presence at dinner is not optional."

That was a very strange thing to say and, noticing her still interrogative expression, he elaborated, "The change from our former usual evenings is distasteful."

That was an even stranger thing to say, therefore she pressed him a little more, noting, "This isn't much of an explanation."

His sigh was almost imperceptible.

"Your… company during meals is perhaps not required, but it's not unpleasant – and I dislike your absence."

That silenced her, but did not stop her from almost glaring at him when she took in the full meaning of what he had said.

He couldn't just say that he wanted her to have dinner with him, could he?

She made an effort, however, to keep her voice pleasant.

"If that was the case, all you had to do was ask."

He threw her a glance as he parked the car, but didn't say a word until they were inside the house.

"The Tohsaka girl has been given the evening free," he informed her, as he went to open the fridge to check its contents.

She stared at him with a raised eyebrow, knowing perfectly that _he_ had given Sakura the evening free.

"There are vegetables ready to be cut," he said, bringing her out of her thoughts as he turned on the stove, putting water to boil.

It was as close to a polite request as it was going to get. Therefore, feeling as if it was a somewhat unreal experience, Arturia slowly took out a knife and started to cook dinner, _together with her husband_. It was still quite weird to see her husband – the one with a holier-than-thou attitude – stand in the kitchen, wear an apron and actually _cook_.

No words were exchanged that did not concern the food, but perhaps there was no need for anything more than that.

At least for this specific evening.

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That night determined a small shift in their dealings with each other.

When Arturia did not let him know anything about the following evening but was not home when he was finished with work, he showed up at the hospital again, driving her to their house. Gilgamesh did not miss the way her sister pierced him with her eyes when he escorted his wife out, but he ignored it. The white-haired woman knew about the contract he had made with Arturia, but she didn't have the right to interfere with it in any way.

Even though, if he had to be honest, there weren't any specific indications in it regarding dinners.

The Tohsaka girl had already cooked and gone home for the day, leaving everything ready for them. On this occasion, they exchanged more than just comments on food.

With some amount of hesitation, she addressed the subject of the dinners itself.

"I am aware of the fact that my sister waking up has changed the routine we were used to – but, Gilgamesh, Iri is pregnant and she has a very young son who needs attention. I am already worried about how all this might influence his way of thinking and the wellbeing of the unborn baby." She shifted a little, and her words were oddly, carefully gentle. "I intend to have dinner with my family, at least sometimes."

He continued to eat, not replying right away.

Then he calmly said, seemingly out of the blue, "Is your sister required to follow a specific diet?"

Even though she had no idea what he meant to find out with that question, she decided to answer it.

"No, she is lucky in that. She has some cravings, yes, even if she must make sure to have only very small meals, but she can eat almost anything."

He took a sip from the wine he had taken out, savouring the taste before bringing his eyes back on her.

"Then, since there are plenty of take-away places in Tokyo whose reputation is not entirely despicable, dinner for four people can be bought there, taken to and eaten at the hospital."

Gilgamesh had seen that the brat could eat anything and Arturia had just confirmed that the white-haired woman – his sister-in-law, he reflected – had no restrictions to follow. Since he refused to have his wife have dinner anywhere that was not with him, he considered the new arrangement he was suggesting even too generous on his part.

One of them would buy dinner – or they could _order_ the food, as was much more preferable – and she would have the meal with both her family and him. It was a perfect solution; it required to have _the boy_ and _Irisviel_ present too, but those were his wife's conditions, and if they were needed to have her accept, then their presence could be bearable.

Looking up, he had his evening amusement as he saw Arturia gaping at him. She had evidently not expected this turn of events, had she?

Well, too bad, he thought with a smirk.

"Is this arrangement not suitable?" he asked, his tone deliberately holding a note of wonder.

She narrowed her eyes at him but, like the day before at the hospital, she just studied him. There was something odd about him lately, and she was not sure what it was. It didn't truly matter though, as long as the contract was respected and her family's wellbeing was assured.

What was strange was the fact that what Gilgamesh was doing respected both those conditions _and_ even made sure they didn't have to quarrel about it.

Very strange, indeed.

He was intrigued by her rapidly changing expressions, as it was rather obvious that she was mulling over the changes that were going to take place.

Their evening-schedule was also going to affect the Tohsaka girl's job in a positive way. She was going to have more free time, and that would do her a favour, with her younger sister and with finishing moving into a better neighbourhood; he knew that Arturia was going to be pleased about it, too.

Besides, with those changes, his wife was going to be at home more often. It was… more natural to see her with him in his – their – home. Not for any special reason, just knowing that she was around was enough.

He saw her as if she _belonged_ there, he realized. _Together_ with him, in _their_ home.

In many ways, she actually did. She was not a prisoner there, of course; but she wasn't there willingly, either…

He was about to shake his head to get rid of those thoughts, but he managed to stop himself in time. If he did shake his head, she would notice, and he did not intend to face her questions, questions to which he could not give her answers, for he did not have them himself.

He took another sip of wine, feeling a headache coming up.

He was going to take a special private train to Yokohama early in the morning; he needed to get a few hours of sleep before then, and such bizarre, unrequested thoughts were not going to help his rest.

Yet in the end, he did not manage to sleep much that night.

…

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…

Before Arturia could properly digest Gilgamesh's strange behaviour, their social engagements came back to remind them of their existence. Since Iri was doing very well and Shirou even better, there was no excuse to avoid taking part in them.

As it turned out, when Sakura was cooking breakfast together with her – Arturia had dismissed the girl's bashful protests about the fact that she helped out when it was her job to cook – she admitted that she was proficient in hairdressing. And since she had received more free evenings and was almost in awe of her employers' generosity, she shyly offered to help style Arturia's hair for the events. Even though the blonde woman did not see the point of having elaborate hairdos, she didn't have the heart to refuse the girl's honest proposition.

She was however taken aback by Sakura's kind approach; she seemed to know that her mistress would not appreciate complicated coiffures, therefore she brushed her locks until they were shining and then made her an elegant crown of simple braids that looked stunningly ethereal. Arturia found herself very much satisfied with the girl's work during the trial evening of hair styling.

Sakura still continued to call her 'Mrs. Ria' instead of simply using her name – the Starks and the rest of the staff insisted upon calling her 'Mrs. Uruk' – and Arturia had decided to just let it be, since it seemed to put Sakura at ease. Arturia thought that treating her employee as a person and not as a servant was something positive, and if she preferred to still call her 'Mrs. Ria' to feel more comfortable, she would let that happen.

Since a particular event Arturia and Gilgamesh had to attend would take place on a Saturday afternoon, she was quite reluctant about leaving Shirou alone at the hospital for the whole day. It was a good occasion, she thought, to ask Sakura for help in that sense; she had already mentioned this to Gilgamesh, and her husband had not found anything to complain about her plans.

"Sakura, I need to ask you a favour. This Saturday, Gilgamesh and I will attend a social afternoon at the Water Gardens. My five-year-old nephew, Shirou – you've met him already, he comes by sometimes – will be here. Would you keep an eye on him for me?"

The purple-haired girl's eyes were wide as she stared at her, and Arturia continued, "You will be paid for this babysitting job, of course. And he will have homework and other things to keep him busy, so don't worry about that."

Sakura opened her mouth, no sound coming out of it, and then she gave a nod with her head, signalling that she agreed to do what was asked of her. However, she looked somewhat uncomfortable, and Arturia stared at her keenly. The girl's thoughts were not difficult to guess, so perhaps…

"Moreover, would you like to bring your sister Rin here as well? In such a way, you can look after both her and Shirou, and they can maybe play together too."

The young girl was startled, and her violet eyes widening even more confirmed to Arturia that she had correctly guessed what Sakura had been worried about.

"But… this is too much… I could never impose…"

Arturia waved her hand and gave one of her rare, small smiles.

"You wouldn't be imposing at all. I'm asking you to do an extra job – the minimum I can do is try to make things easier for you. After all, you'd be doing your job even better in such a way, and both Shirou and Rin would get a playmate."

The girl looked a little worried.

"I'm not entirely certain about that, Mrs. Ria… my sister can be quite the stubborn girl. She might become rude and I would never want to–"

Arturia wasn't concerned about it.

"Please don't worry. It will work out."

She had met Rin herself and she was quite certain that she and Shirou were going to clash at the beginning, because they were very different children, but she believed that in the end, meeting each other would be beneficial for them both as well.

...

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	22. Party

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Saturday came, and Sakura did Arturia's hair before going to separate the two yelling children and stopping them from tearing each other's hair out.

As the blonde woman had half-expected, Rin and Shirou did not get along at first. The black-haired girl bossily told him he wasn't clever enough for her to put up with him, and he, mortified, was too polite and disconcerted to retort in kind.

However, as soon as he proved to know his way around more practical things – making Rin curious enough to leave her theoretical experimentations to stare at him build things with plastic blocks – she grudgingly stopped crinkling her nose every time she looked at him. In fact, she went to sit next to him on the floor and deigned to give him suggestions on how to make the tower of his castle more stable.

Knowing that the children were going to be fine, Arturia left the house, aware of the fact that her husband was already impatiently waiting for her in the limousine – and he _hated_ being kept waiting.

He did in fact have a scowl on his face when she entered the car, but for some reason, he did not make a comment on her being late, and only gave her a mild glare before addressing her.

"This afternoon is supposed to be a social meeting for all the loitering sharks who think themselves important enough to be present." He gave her a smirk, his previous black look already gone. "While last time they were especially vicious, this time, with more reporters present and me as well, they will not dare do the same."

She gave him an unconvinced stare. His intimidating reputation was well known and she herself had already made sure she was not taken for an air-headed fool the previous time she had had to be in public, but that did not mean that any of those people was to be underestimated.

"You are not saying anything untrue; but I don't think the matter is this simple," were her sober words.

He himself had warned her, the previous time, and so had Enkidu: they had to be indeed firm and confident, but not _overconfident_.

"It might be the opposite of what you say, Gilgamesh. _Especially_ because there is more press and because this is an important show-off event, they will try to undermine us – or rather, me."

She met his eyes seriously, as they were sitting in front of each other in the limousine. "I know that you're one of the most feared businessmen in the world, if not actually _the_ most feared one. But one can never be too careful."

It wasn't that she wanted to be pessimistic; she just knew that they both needed to be watchful when the media were just waiting for an opportunity to jump at anything they did to make a saucy story out of it.

He stared at her, a thoughtful expression settling on his features. She was not being unwise when she advised cautiousness and, while he wasn't truly concerned, he decided it was not going to be bothersome to keep her words in mind; but what he truly noticed was the way she had referred to him.

She had rarely addressed his capabilities in the business field; even though she worked at his company, while he had scrutinized her work personally, she had never made any comments on _his_ work. Not that there had ever been an opportunity for it, nor a reason, and she had not said anything that he didn't already know about his position in the business field, after all.

Still, hearing his wife talking about him being one of the most important people on the planet with a tone of someone stating a fact was very… satisfying.

The remaining time of the car ride was spent in silence, and they only exchanged words once they stepped out of the limousine, when they were greeted by a crowd of blinding flashes.

Arturia blinked several times to get rid of the white points marring her vision, and found her balance as she took a few steps forward. An arm slipped around her waist, both to steady her and pull her closer to what she recognized as her husband's form.

After a second of hesitation, she let one of her hands rest on his shoulder. It was a completely innocent gesture, but for the reporters, it was going to be more than enough. In addition, she wanted to avoid any potential ideas he might get about kissing her in public.

While the flashes increased as they were standing there, Gilgamesh leaned forward, closer to her. To everyone else looking, it appeared as if he was kissing her cheek, but in truth, his mouth was murmuring in her ear.

"Arturia, make an _attempt_ at smiling. For the cameras."

Her face hidden by him from those exact cameras, she threw him a dirty look.

" _Maybe_ I could. But since you demand it like this, I most certainly won't."

His blood red eyes bore into her green ones with a glare that no one else was going to see, but he did not add a word before distancing himself from her slightly and starting to make his way inside the Water Gardens, keeping an arm around her to hold her close to his side.

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At her husband's arm and surrounded by a mass of people, Arturia did not find herself at ease.

It was nothing like the inauguration of the museum; it was much more chaotic, and people were standing everywhere, talking to each other or, as was more likely, sneering at each other. Merely having to look at them was unpleasant.

With all of his haughtiness, Arturia knew that Gilgamesh was nothing like them. He was arrogant, he was proud, and he was occasionally a jerk, but he was not _false_ like the people that surrounded them like vultures. In fact, he was probably the only person in the large gardens with whom she could actually have a more or less normal conversation. He would not try to fake his smiles nor try to expose her to the reporters.

Neither Enkidu nor Iskandar were present at the event – but the press was, and that meant that she had to keep her guard up the whole time.

At the very least, she could concentrate on the place. It was a truly beautiful garden: colourful without being messy, exotic, and yet with local flowers and trees growing in a way that looked natural despite being artificially created so that the guests could have pathways in between them.

Gilgamesh pulled her a little closer to murmur in her ear, "All we have to do is take three or four turns of the place, compliment the owner, be addressed by one or two mongrels, and then we should be able to leave."

Seemed quite easy when said like that, but it wasn't that simple, and that was without taking notice of the inexpressible amount of eyes that followed their every move.

As they passed next to the oleanders, they caught a part of a conversation.

"…certainly, she's a fair beauty, but not _that_ special…"

"…what does she even have that could interest him, aside from her barely attractive looks?"

"I heard that she works at his company, and that that is how he noticed her… But can you imagine? _Working as a subordinate_!"

"Yes, quite degrading, right? I even heard that she _still_ works there! So unfitting for a wife…!"

"I wonder how it can even be considered acceptable…"

The next few steps they took brought them far enough from the voices to be able to ignore them and, throwing Gilgamesh a glance, Arturia almost had to smirk at the sheer _boredom_ she could read on his face.

He noticed her glance and sighed.

"Those kind of conversations are getting old. They really should make their talks more interesting, otherwise there is no point in us overhearing them."

At her mildly confused glance, he elaborated, "Those were staged, Arturia. It's typical of this kind of place. They take care to make those comments only when we can hear them. But they seriously underestimate the degree of boredom we are going to suffer because of them."

It was such a bizarrely uncanny speech for him that Arturia actually had to stifle a laugh at it, and they continued their tour in relative silence… at least until guests started popping out from all directions, and with their talks managed to separate them from each other.

"Mr. Uruk! How delightful to meet you! Let me be bold and allow me to introduce this young man of broad talent–"

"Oh, Mrs. Uruk, that attire is bewitching! What designer created the lines–"

It was no use that Gilgamesh curtly cut off the introduction of the person who wanted to have a recommendation for his own son; nor was it of any use that Arturia politely gave the name of the designer house – the Rimat fashion line – from which Gilgamesh had chosen her gown. The incessant talking – and pulling – in the sea of people ended up forcing them to stand several steps apart.

That was more than enough for Arturia to suddenly find herself face to face with the beautiful woman with lilac hair she had already had the debatable pleasure of meeting at the exhibition: Medea Caster-Kuzuki.

"Mrs. Kuzuki, what a pleasure," she said evenly, her tone not betraying anything, while she only rolled her eyes inwardly and decided to follow Enkidu's advice and be direct. "I see that, once again, you waited for my husband to be occupied before approaching me."

Her statement, meant to deliberately stand her ground, was not easy to overlook, and Medea shot her a furious glare.

"You are still around, _child_ ," she fumed. "Even though I was gracious enough to warn you to leave a world you don't belong to, you are _still_ here. You should know that you don't belong with Gilgamesh Uruk, you little _whore_."

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Only a few steps away, Gilgamesh was faced with other members of the Caster family. They were addressing him relentlessly and thus preventing him from approaching his wife. If he wanted to get close to her, he would have to push a few people, and that would catch the reporters' attention.

Not that he intended to intervene in any case. He had meant what he had told her more than once in the past: he believed she was fully capable of taking care of herself.

"You're not going to your wife's rescue, Mr. Uruk?" came the mellifluous voice of one of the people surrounding him. It was one of the heads of the Casters' business – Medea's father.

Gilgamesh was very much annoyed at just _seeing_ the man, and even more at being _addressed_ by said man, especially since he happened to be the father of a woman he despised, and husband of a woman he despised even more – Lady _Ishtar_. The fact that, on top of that, he was even trying to manipulate him – _him_ – was beyond outrageous.

He stared at the impudent mongrel with so much iciness that the man was forced to lower his eyes.

"Caster. I see that your daughter still hasn't learned either manners or wisdom. And neither have you, apparently. You will soon understand that no one mocks my wife and gets away with it." Himself included, he surprisingly realized, but there was no point in reflecting on that fact in this moment.

Mr. Caster sneered, even though he did not dare meet his blood red eyes once again.

"Oh, I see. So now you'll protect her by trying to ruin my business, Mr. Uruk?" he said, raising his voice a little.

Gilgamesh laughed, and his laugh was bone chilling.

"I could do that – but why bother getting through any kind of trouble when you are not even remotely worth it? You won't get away with your lowly attempts at undermining my wife – because you still don't know her. She doesn't need any kind of protection from the likes of _you_. She will make you regret ever trying to interfere in our marriage."

He was not bragging, because he never did. He knew that Arturia could perfectly deal with smart people, therefore Medea, who wasn't included in the category, would not be a problem for her at all.

Struck by a sudden thought, he wondered how his proud little wife would fare if faced with his own mother…

He filed the thought aside for later and brought his concentration back on Mr. Caster, who by now had lost much of his confidence and was staring at him with disbelief, even though, to Gilgamesh's satisfaction, he still didn't completely meet his gaze.

"You're not going to help out your wife?"

Gilgamesh disdainfully looked at the man as if he was dirt, as if his mere presence was not just insulting him but _sullying_ him – which, in his opinion, was exactly the case. He was being far too tolerant in allowing the conversation to continue.

"There will be need of no such thing. She is very good at looking after herself."

Mr. Caster, even if still incredulous, managed to find his voice in a renewed attempt at mocking him.

"Really, now. How can you be so sure?"

Gilgamesh grinned, his smile feral. What a mongrel. There was no need to waste any more of his time with such an asinine person, but in this single case, just to give his reply, he would make an exception.

He stared straight at him, making him cower in increased fear.

"I know, _because_ _I married her_."

His brief exchange with that lowlife had held the attention of the people around them, and his last words made a collective shiver run through them; therefore, no one stopped Gilgamesh when he walked away.

No one wanted to risk their wellbeing by going against the bluntness of the most powerful man in the world.

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Arturia was beginning to get bored with Medea, and she found it amusing that she agreed with her husband on the fact that the vipers who wanted to spread their poisonous venom seemed to always use the same tactics and the same insults.

As the lilac-haired woman had done nothing but invest her with a string of quite eccentric yet repetitive invectives for the past few minutes, she judged it was time to stop taking her verbal tirade with quiet patience.

"Mrs. Kuzuki," her voice was pleasant, polite, and most of all, calm, as she cut her off. "You have already made your opinion known, yet its relevance hasn't changed since the last time we met. I therefore take the liberty to suggest you use your apparently limitless free time more competently."

If Medea had had claws, she would have used them to jump towards Arturia and scratch her face in a screaming fit. She was standing in front of her and she was _seething_.

Suddenly, she abandoned all pretences. She had nothing left to lose, after having been told so firmly to go on her way, and her expression turned ugly.

"What does he even _see_ in you? You have no beauty, no charm, no money, no connections, and you don't belong to this social class. What do you have that he can like?"

She leaned forward, her eyes glowing in mad anger. " _What does he think you have that I don't_?"

"A brain, for example," came a cold voice from behind her.

Medea Kuzuki turned around abruptly to see Gilgamesh Uruk approaching them, his expression a perfect mix of annoyance and complete and utter boredom.

"I would apologize for the interruption if I felt sorry for it, but that doesn't happen to be the case." He turned towards his wife. "Arturia, the percentage of idiotic people surrounding you is far too high to be healthy. I suggest we take some fresher air." Then he glanced between her and the woman with lilac hair. "Unless you have to finish reminding Mrs. Kuzuki of her place, in which case I will make an effort to wait."

Arturia gave him a sharp but only half-hearted glare that no one else could see, before calmly looking at Medea again, her gaze steely.

"I believe everything was already said. Whether or not it was understood is another matter entirely. Good afternoon to you, Mrs. Kuzuki."

She linked her arm with her husband's and the two of them walked away unhurriedly. This time, no one dared do anything more than greet them as they passed by.

Therefore, about two hours later, when it was already evening, Arturia was extremely glad to be in the limousine and headed home, where Shirou, Sakura and Rin were probably waiting.

Thinking back on the afternoon, she had to conclude that the only thing she could have truly done differently was at the beginning of it, when she _could_ have smiled for the cameras.

But she would not do it whenever her husband demanded it. She wasn't a doll, and she wouldn't smile on command.

She wondered briefly why he had intervened in her talk – or rather, discussion – with Medea, and why in such a manner. Inwardly shrugging, she decided to ask him about it.

He gave her an amused smirk.

"To be honest, Arturia, it was quite entertaining to see your verbal exchange with that despicable woman. However, her last comment was directed more at me than at you, and since she asked a very obvious question, I granted her a very obvious answer."

She stared at him, for the first time uncertain about his meaning. He almost scoffed at her, his eyes narrowing in an almost imperceptible manner.

"I didn't bother making up any kind of lies, Arturia; what I told her is the truth. Had I wanted a wife without intelligence, I wouldn't have married _you_."

The rest of the car ride was spent in a kind of silence that was uncomfortable, but in a different way than usual. Arturia was feeling oddly confused and self-conscious at his unexpected comment, and Gilgamesh was feeling satisfied by her reaction; neither said however another word, and the eerie resemblance of peacefulness was only discarded once they arrived home.

Sakura and the children were not there and they had the house all to themselves, as the housekeepers smilingly informed them. The purple-haired girl had decided to go to a nearby park with Shirou and Rin, mainly to avoid having them bicker more violently than they already did, and after that, as per Arturia's instructions in case they got tired, had dropped the boy off at the hospital before going home. The elderly Starks had confirmed with Irisviel that Shirou had arrived back there safely. Arturia thanked them warmly, and they added that dinner was ready before leaving for the night.

Spending an afternoon in the company of rich people and paparazzi induced quite the appetite, as Arturia found out, even though it could also be the effect of Sakura's skilful cooking. It had been actually some time since husband and wife had last shared a meal at home in the weekend, mainly because she had been at the hospital with her sister, usually coming home in the evenings when he was already in bed.

It was true that he had come pick her up a few times, and another couple of times they had had dinner, all four of them, at the hospital, but that happened during the week, when they had work; during the weekend, it was no longer common for them to have dinner alone together.

After putting the dishes away – Gilgamesh, as she had found out some time before, actually made the effort of cleaning his own plate and not leaving things dirty – she went to take a shower in the bathroom downstairs. She had come to prefer it to the bedroom's bathroom because it was nearer to the entrance, and when she was in a hurry, as she often was recently, it was more convenient.

Afterwards, she passed by her favourite living room to pick up a book she had left there that morning, but stopped dead in her tracks.

Gilgamesh was lying down on one of the couches, a half-full glass of red wine in hand, sipping with evident pleasure. A glance to the small table confirmed that what he was drinking was not normal wine – it was one with very high alcoholic content.

Arturia was not fond of heavy drinks, nor of drinks in general. Her family had never had an inclination towards drinking alcohol, but she had been forced by Iri to participate to quite a few college events – some of which had seen Gilgamesh present as well – therefore she knew she had a good tolerance. She had taken care of more than enough intoxicated college colleagues – who got sad, ill or violent when drunk – to decide that she would not waste much time with alcohol. She still recalled the bruises some of them had received, after beating each other up in their drunken stupor.

Now seeing her own husband there at home, drinking a heavily alcoholic substance… she couldn't help her instinctual reaction from being full of wariness.

"Gilgamesh. You… I mean…"

Her eyes darted to the door and her hand automatically moved to the phone she always carried on herself, mentally scrolling through the emergency numbers she knew.

He only rolled his eyes, guessing her thoughts immediately.

"Don't get your mind into nonsense. I can hold my liquor, Arturia, and I'm not about to hurt you."

 _Easy to say, less easy to prove_ , she thought. But hearing how his speech was not slurred and he was as sarcastic as usual, she did feel reassured, at least to some degree.

His expression changed as he observed her contemplatively, before a slow smirk appeared on his lips.

"The real question is… can _you_ hold your alcohol?"

She arched an eyebrow. He could not mean…? Oh, that was _not_ going to happen. She was _not_ going to be fooled by him or let him drag her into one of his games.

"Yes, I can hold a reasonable amount of that stuff, but I'm not about to enter any kind of contest with you, as you so clearly aim to have me do – so goodnight."

Finding her book – which was the primary reason for which she had actually come to the room – she went to the bedroom, and after pushing the beds apart, lay down on hers and resumed reading where she had left off that morning.

Soon enough her eyelids were drooping, and the next thing she knew, she was waking up with her Sunday alarm clock and her head between the pages of her book.

Curious. She had thought she had not pulled the covers over herself, since she had fallen asleep while reading.

Well, maybe she had and had simply forgotten doing so.

Maybe.

She did not see Gilgamesh's small, almost imperceptible smile that he couldn't help directing towards her as he witnessed her confusion.

...

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	23. Betrayed

**A/N** : thank you HiddenCamellia and my friend from university for listening patiently as I told them my ideas for this chapter ;) and thank you very much to Jolanikati for editing :D

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After what had happened a few weeks before, Arturia began to pay more attention to the time and did her best to be home earlier than usual.

She still went to her sister after work of course; however, she made sure to leave the hospital before dinnertime. She had decided to do this ever since the day Gilgamesh had showed up to drive her back home in person and more or less asked her to keep having dinner with him, going even as far as agreeing to share the meal with her family too. By leaving earlier, they made it possible for young Sakura to have a few free evenings as well, so that she could stay with Rin.

Since Gilgamesh had actually continued to show up after the first time he had done so, Arturia had reached the conclusion that he had not acted on a whim, but he _truly_ disliked her being away from home, especially when he too was there. This only spurred her conscious effort of returning to the house earlier.

She did it because he had actually been _nice_ lately, and even if in a convoluted way, he _had_ asked – not demanded – her to dine with him more often. Since the latest Saturday night together with him had actually not been unpleasant, she couldn't find a reason to refuse his request – or rather, to _want_ to refuse his request.

However, to her puzzlement and more than just mild confusion, as soon as she started coming home earlier, he began instead to return home late, _very_ late, and for several days in a row. In fact, more than a few times, she was already half-asleep or sleeping when he came to their room, having already separated the beds and disappeared under the covers.

It was almost as if he was suddenly avoiding her.

Although disconcerted, she believed that the reason for his being always late was work; she had heard that Enkidu had been doing a lot of travelling overseas to settle business, and had just come back a few days before. It was very likely that Gilgamesh had had a stressful time in handling everything both in Japan and in the rest of the world through long conferences and important meetings – she knew this because she had attended some of them herself, after all.

That was a very likely explanation for the sudden increase in his time away from the house, and she decided she could make another small effort, since he seemed to be so busy.

He had brought over dinner to share with her family more than once; therefore, she made sure that, no matter how late it was when he came home, there was dinner kept warm and ready for him. It was not something that was too difficult for her to do, and she thought that, since he was busy, it might be for his benefit.

Every morning, Sakura brought her the newspaper and they prepared breakfast together, even though the girl always tried not to make her work too much, claiming she wanted to do her job properly, and she could not do that if her employer helped her like that.

Lately, the newspapers' headlines had been a bit worrying, at least for Arturia's tastes. They were not worrisome for what they said, but for the questions they asked.

 _How is the richest man in the world faring in his precarious marriage?_

 _Is Gilgamesh Uruk giving more attention to his wife or to his work?_

 _Uruk Enterprises: is it now a synonym for a company that matters more than a family?_

Of course, they were questions deliberately put there to be provocative and to increase the sells, but they had indeed been appearing quite often during the past few weeks. The excitement from their luxurious wedding ceremony had faded, and now there was eager anticipation among the press for some scandal or the other.

In Arturia's opinion, the fact that such insinuating headlines had already started to appear could become a serious problem.

On one such morning, she distractedly noticed that same kind of headlines once again, but resolved not to pay much attention to them. She was talking with Sakura, and the girl, bringing her the newspaper, had most likely seen the titles, but she did not seem concerned about them at all, even though they were about her own employers.

Out of curiosity, but also to get her mind off the strange sense of worry that she was unable to completely shake off, Arturia addressed her with a smile.

"I'm sure you have read the news, Sakura, yet you don't seem to pay the rumours any heed. I must confess, I'm rather curious about how you do that."

The girl that morning had insisted that Arturia did not lift a finger since Rin was present as well – her little sister was sitting at the kitchen table and was silently reading a children's book – and she thought she was already imposing too much on her employer's kindness. Sakura brought miso soup to the table together with the rest of the Japanese breakfast, while giving her a surprising reply.

"The press and the media will not be happy until they have what they want, Mrs. Ria – a scoop. But most of the time they just talk about rumours." She paused, hesitating briefly. "False rumours are what cost my father his reputation and in the end made him commit suicide. I've learned not to believe the reporters easily."

Arturia's green eyes looked at her with concern.

"I'm sorry, Sakura. I didn't mean to bring up those memories."

Sakura only gave a shrug, not completely carelessly but not very caringly, either. She went to clean up the kitchen counter.

"He wasn't really present in my life, Mrs. Ria. He didn't neglect Rin and I, but he didn't exactly care that much, either. Mother was the one who truly cared for us."

Arturia offered her a small smile, because she empathized with the purple-haired girl's past, at least to a certain extent.

Knowing that Sakura was not the type who would ever sell information to the press, she said, "I think I know what you mean. My parents loved my sister and I, but they were detached from us."

Sakura stared at her from the counter, took a few steps closer and looked at her quizzically.

"You don't give that impression, Mrs. Ria… oh!" She cut herself off, seeming suddenly afraid of what she had just said.

Arturia produced another very small smile. "I know."

Sakura stared at her, and then her eyes went to Rin, who was sitting in her chair and now playing with her braids as she repeated some sentences from the book under her breath.

"…you have a younger sister as well, Mrs. Ria?" came her hesitant question, as if she was truly curious about the reply but was not sure she had the right to ask something like that.

Sakura had never met Iri; knowing that Shirou was Arturia's nephew – and putting it together with what Arturia had just said – had made her assume that she had to have a sister who was at the hospital, but she didn't know much else about her employer's family.

Arturia glanced up to the clock and stood up, the time having passed much quicker than she had thought. She had to run several errands on this day and needed to get going on them.

Sakura's inquiry was innocent enough, but the blonde woman did not currently have the time to discuss her family. Sooner or later, she was going to tell Sakura about her sister and even make the two meet, but unfortunately, it couldn't be in that moment.

Giving her another kind expression, she inclined her head in a way that was neither a nod nor a shake.

"Not exactly. But I'm afraid we need to have this conversation some other time, as it's too late now."

Taking her leave from the young black-haired girl and her elder sister, Mrs. Uruk left to go to work.

…

*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*

…

Arturia forgot everything about the headlines she had seen in the newspaper that morning, because she had a very busy time at work and then quite an eventful afternoon with little Shirou coming to do the shopping with her, since he wished to get a few presents for his mother and new coloured paper materials to play with.

However, when evening came and her husband did not show up for dinner, she recalled the headlines. Well, it appeared that for once, they were asking questions whose truthful answer wouldn't have been positive for the reputation of the Uruk name.

At the same time, it wasn't her own fault for maybe being a bit insisting, was it? Earlier, in the middle of the afternoon, when she had sent him a text asking him if there was anything specific he wanted for dinner, he had dryly replied that he wasn't going to be home for the meal that evening – and that had been it.

She did find it strange, however, when she woke up in the middle of the night because she was in an uncomfortable position and noticed that he still wasn't there. His bed was made up; it was clear that he had not even come home yet.

Pushing the worry in her thoughts firmly aside, she went back to sleep.

In the morning, when her alarm went off, her eyes opened and automatically darted to his bed, only to find it empty again. He still wasn't there.

He had not come home – for the whole night.

That was something that had never happened before, not ever since they had gotten married.

She stared at her phone for a while, debating with herself on whether she should send him a text or call him – but such a thing was ridiculous.

It was unlikely that anything had happened to him, and did she really need to know right away why he had not come home the previous night? She was going to have to talk with him later in the day, that was doubtless, but it certainly wasn't urgent.

She had given Sakura permission to leave earlier that morning because her sister Rin was going back to school as vacations had ended, and therefore the girl was already busy finishing with the cooking as Arturia stepped into the kitchen.

As she sat down to eat breakfast, Sakura completed her chores by bringing her the newspaper before wishing her a good day with a smile and hurrying to the exit holding Rin's hand. She was a little worried because there was a larger number of reporters outside, and Arturia recommended using one of the back doors.

The young black-haired girl was eager to go, and Arturia wished her good luck and smiled inwardly as she heard the door close, before concentrating on her food and on the newspaper's voluminous magazine.

She threw a glance at the first page… and she almost choked on her hot milk. She immediately understood the reason for the suddenly increased amount of journalists outside her house.

 _Less than three months of marriage for Gilgamesh Uruk – and it's already a cheating scandal!_

Just the contents of the first page were enough to make her cringe. And if the headlines had not been enough, the _pictures_ certainly were.

Her eyes quickly ran over the article. It was in a very injurious tone, claiming that the speculations of the previous days, the ones insinuating that Gilgamesh Uruk was neglecting his young, recently married wife, were all true – because he was _cheating on her_. Apparently, he was not cheating on her with another woman, but with _several_ other women, and in places of dubious morality.

As proof, the article referred to the enclosed photographs, which showed indeed Mr. Uruk, standing between quite a few women, at what seemed to be a bar but was in a fact a nightclub.

Arturia stared at the pictures, and for several long seconds, her mind was blank.

 _What was the meaning of this_.

It could not be true.

Gilgamesh had not come home that night, that was a fact. The magazine she was holding claimed – _proved_ – that he had been at a nightclub, drinking and surrounding himself with women until early in the morning.

She put the newspaper back on the table and took out her phone, only to put it away again.

She tried to snap herself out of her daze, but it was no use. She was even more troubled when she realized that what confused her the most was the fact that she could not determine what exactly she was feeling.

She still… doubted the truthfulness of it all, even if the photos were admittedly a very solid proof, because she could not mistake the man in them as anyone but the one she had gotten married to.

Gilgamesh had never been her favourite person, but she had thought she had somewhat come to understand him during the past few months, and she felt quite confident that he would _not_ behave in the manner described in the magazines.

In the contract, however, they had not addressed the possibility of infidelity. Faithfulness had probably been implied in the fact that they were getting married, after all, and well, Arturia had already had to admit it some time before, but she did not have the right to probe into Gilgamesh's personal life. _Her_ personal life – the situation with her family – was all that mattered to her, but his work was all that mattered to _him_.

She knew, she admitted it in spite of herself, that he was an extremely handsome man; with his undeniably attractive looks and the right amount of persuasion, she had no doubt that he would be able to charm anyone. Yet he had always made it clear that he cared more about his work than about anything else.

Furthermore, as far as she had seen, he had never showed interest in any particular woman or man, nor had he seemed to be an avid drinker of 'low-quality drinks', as he called the ones that were to be found in pubs. He enjoyed his wine, she knew that, but only the most exclusive kind, and he would never have accepted to go in a place so beneath him like a nightclub…

…or at least, that was what Arturia thought she knew about him. She did not know him well enough to be completely _certain_ about the way he would or would not behave. Therefore, there were no precise conclusions she could reach.

However – she was his wife now. Why couldn't she… well… address him about it?

She had agreed to fulfil the role of the 'proper wife' in the eyes of the public, even though she was quite disgusted by such an outdated view; she had only done it for her sister, and she had disregarded her dignity and her principles for that reason alone. Suspecting the man she had made a contract with of cheating made her feel confused and in some ways enraged her, but mostly, it made her actually feel… afraid.

Because if it were true, and if the media had been right, it would be terrible for what concerned their contract.

Again, she pondered over the information she had. She truly had no idea of what kind of man Gilgamesh was, at least in his private life. As a person, she did not think he would break his word, once given… or rather, she was quite _sure_ he would not do such a thing.

But then again – it was indeed true that, in the contract, nothing was specified about cheating; therefore, there was no former promise of being faithful that Gilgamesh would have had to respect.

It hit Arturia then. She had agreed to marry Gilgamesh for Iri and Shirou's sake; she had not thought about how that would truly influence herself. She actually hadn't thought twice about giving up relationships in general: she loved her family dearly, and she was fond of her field of studying and her job, she didn't need other personal bonds. She had thought that, by becoming someone's wife, even without love, she would have to automatically give up on the possibility of being with anyone else, of allowing herself to develop feelings towards anyone.

She had considered it _obvious_ , even if it had not been specified in the contract.

But what if Gilgamesh did not see things in the same light? At least according to the newspaper's magazine – and it was a quite renowned newspaper, the National one – he _clearly_ did not.

How foolish she had been. It was just a contract for _appearances' sake_ ; what they really did, in their lives, was up to them. There was only the façade to keep up, the rest was obviously not under the same kind of scrutiny. She could do whatever she wanted during her time with her family, and he… he could do whatever he wanted with his free time.

To be honest, she had never thought about Gilgamesh's free time – she had actually never cared about it.

Now, as a result, the story of a cheating affair was publicly exposed to the media.

In any case, no matter how long she kept thinking about it – she was truly _overthinking_ it – the headlines were not going to change, no matter the fact that the reporters had probably invented the whole story.

Or at least, that was what she wanted to believe. But… _those photos_ …

And… _if_ it were true…

Could he… have… actually cheated on her…?

 _No_. She had to stop that line of thoughts immediately, as it was complete and utter nonsense.

It was strange, not knowing what to think and how to feel. She was confused; she was angry; she was hurt by his not communicating with her and putting her in the situation of finding out things from the newspapers – and yet, at the same time, she was surprised by the fact that it actually _hurt_. That, in spite of the fact that she had never been truly interested in her husband, she actually _cared_ enough about all that for it to _hurt_.

If he had truly gone to a nightclub and slept with other women, cheating on her, it wasn't really her business, as long as the press was not aware of it.

She shook her head. What was she thinking? After all, the two of them weren't even in a relationship – where did the word ' _cheating_ ' come from? Sure, they were married, but it had been a simple _contract_ , a monetary arrangement, and that was all.

Advantageous for them both – and _that was it_.

Right?

Right.

That was all it was.

Still…

Just a few minutes earlier, she had thought that there was no urgency in being informed about her husband's whereabouts, but she had obviously been mistaken.

She had to speak with him, Arturia decided. She had the right to – and she _had_ to, because those headlines were problematic for their marital arrangements.

At the same time, while her voice of reason told her that the best course of action was to call him right away, another part of her did not want to speak to him; yet she also did not want to let her mind fly away with conjectures.

Therefore, she opted for the middle ground – sending him a text.

 _Gilgamesh_.

She couldn't continue typing after that word. What was she supposed to say to him? Was she supposed to ask him about the newspapers? Was she supposed to ask him where he had been the previous evening? Was she supposed to ask him when he would be home? Was she supposed to ask him… what?

Maybe just writing his name would be enough. He read the newspapers in the morning, like she did. He was bound to see the headlines. Yet he had not contacted her…

Yes, she could see no better option. She would send him a text with just his name, and that was going to be it.

She clicked on the 'send' button.

…

*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*

…

Gilgamesh was standing in his office. Furious.

No, he amended to himself, he was not furious – he was _indignant_.

He had not gone home the evening before, not after what had happened. He had been too livid to go back to his house, because he knew that in the blind rage he was in, he would have taken it out on anyone. He needed to calm down, and the deserted offices were the best place for that. He did not intend to simply go home and yell at the first person he met – namely Arturia – for no reason, nor did he intend to take out his frustration on her when she was completely free of any blame.

That was because he was incredibly angry with _himself_. It had happened only a handful of times in the past, but when he was in such an irate mood, he knew he had to be alone.

The evening before had been a complete disaster, and he should have anticipated it.

The night had passed, however, and he had calmed down, at least a little bit.

After pacing the empty hallways for hours, getting rid of his fury, he went to sit down in his office where, as usual, he found the morning newspaper waiting. He flipped it over to read the front page.

And he stared.

Red coloured his vision and he jumped back to his feet. It was clear that he had not simply been tricked the night before; he had been tricked _twice_ …!

In that moment, his phone rang. Without thinking, he answered immediately.

"Gil, calm down," came a very familiar voice from the other side of the line before he found it in himself to speak into the receiver. Enkidu's voice was missing its usual mirth and teasing glint.

Gilgamesh did not answer, his eyes running through the article and the muscles in his jaw rigidly clenching.

" _Gil_ , listen to me," Enkidu continued, sternly. " _Calm down_. I'm sure you have seen the newspapers. It's all over the news as well. We have to fix this, but to do that, you have to _keep calm_."

Gilgamesh still did not speak. His mind was already planning the best ways to get revenge disregarding all the other facts and simply making sure that that man was to be destroyed, because those headlines would not only affect him but also–

He inhaled sharply, his anger swiftly quieting down, forgotten. Enkidu wasn't the only person close to him who read the newspapers in the mornings.

He could not help an unexpectedly sinking feeling in his chest as he thought about her… _Arturia_.

She must have seen those headlines, and she was not oblivious: she was perfectly aware of the fact that he had not been home that night.

This was not going to bode well.

And it was not going to end well, but not for him; it was _really_ not going to end well for the one who was truly at fault.

"Enkidu." His voice was cold and controlled, his returning anger kept tightly in check. "Come to the office as soon as you can. We have a _punishment_ to deliver."

He closed the line before sitting back at his desk.

The moment he ended the call, his phone buzzed as it received a text. It was from Arturia, and it consisted solely of his name.

 _Gilgamesh_.

She had obviously read the newspapers.

He stared at the phone, momentarily forgetting everything else.

How curious. The thought of how this entire matter would affect her had been enough to make sure his anger did not overtake him–… ah, he did not have time to concentrate on that.

One single thought in mind, Gilgamesh lifted the phone from the office table once again. Iskandar had better be awake, even if it was still quite early in the morning. The red-bearded giant was going to play an important part in the simple but efficient plan that was rapidly forming in his head.

By the time the man picked up, he had finished building the plan in his head.

"Iskandar." Gilgamesh's tone did not leave any room for argument as he continued, "It's time for me to collect one of the many favours you owe me. Listen carefully."

It was indeed time to execute his revenge on the person responsible for everything, Shinji Matou, and show him hell's true, ugly, unforgivable colours.

With the media, he could deal. He could feed them another good piece of gossip, or change the versions of what was reported, and things could be manipulated into place, ensuring his business was not affected. But his wife…

How dare they make things look in such a way _in the eyes of his wife_.

Especially when he considered the fact that his wife had been the one to foresee the danger: she had warned him in the past not to underestimate people, both reporters and entrepreneurs.

He had dismissed her seemingly excessive cautiousness; but she had been right.

Gilgamesh disliked having to face his mistakes, mostly because _he never made any_. But in the occasion at present…

Knowing that he was usually always a few steps ahead of everyone else, he had underestimated Shinji Matou's underhandedness, and he had underestimated the press's quickness. The exact things Arturia had showed insight about, advising him to be careful.

Very well then. As much as he loathed admitting it, he had made a mistake, and he had more than paid for it.

Now it was time to make the others pay – the ones who had caused the mistake in the first place.

…

*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*

…

Arturia did not make substantial changes to her usual daily routine, aside from being very careful when leaving the house. After work, however, she didn't have lunch with her husband, but went directly to the hospital, spending the afternoon with her sister and nephew.

Iri had not picked up her habit of reading the newspapers after waking up from the coma; she only watched a summary of the week's news on Sundays on television, but most of the time she concentrated on getting better – she still wasn't able to leave the bed – and giving all her attention to Shirou. Therefore, Arturia was not worried about them knowing anything about the morning's headlines.

She had taken the resolution of not overthinking anything, especially because Gilgamesh had replied to her text, even though it had been as telegraphic a message as hers.

 _Tonight_.

For once, she was not saddened about leaving the hospital before dinnertime. She could not tell her family, but she had to talk with Gilgamesh about what had happened, and urgently.

She had reached some very simple conclusions: the reported news were either true or false. If they were true, then they would need to discuss them at length; if they were _not_ true… then they would still need to discuss them at length.

In either case, they simply needed to talk.

When she arrived home – she passed through one of the two back doors to avoid the press – he was not there yet. The housekeepers had already left, and Arturia had asked Sakura to cook dinner and leave it there, still warm, for her and Gilgamesh. That meant that the house was empty.

She was not hungry; she drank a glass of water, but she wasn't feeling inclined to eat anything, and left her food untouched. She had to struggle with herself to admit it, but she was not looking forward to the inevitable confrontation that was going to happen. To be fair, it could also be that he was going to refuse to speak with her; he was under no obligation of telling her about all of his activities. But, if he was indeed going to say something like that, then she would have to use the media as excuse to make him talk.

As excuse – because she could not deny that she _wanted_ to know the truth. The newspapers had reported a story, and that could be fake; but photographs, photographs of Gilgamesh in a nightclub surrounded by women… _those_ were not fake. She was adamant about finding out what had happened, even though, when she questioned herself about the reason for it, she was unable to find a satisfying answer.

Going to the bedroom, the first thing Arturia did was push the beds apart – perhaps a bit further apart than usual – before taking out her favourite home clothes and closing herself in the bathroom. If the rest of the evening was going to be extremely unpleasant, she might as well make herself comfortable to face it.

She had just come out of her shower and was standing next to her closet, choosing the clothes for the outfit she was going to wear the following day, when the door opened and Gilgamesh entered the room.

Crimson and green eyes met, both guarded and, in many ways, calculating and wary. It was quite obvious that he had just arrived home, and it appeared that he had not had dinner yet. But that was of small importance at the moment.

Keeping the same telegraphic approach from their texts, Arturia simply turned away from her closet and stared at him, firmly and unwaveringly.

"Explain."

It was not a request; it was an order – formulated as such because she was demanding to hear his account on what had happened – and it was not a negotiable one.

...

...


	24. Clarification

…

…

...

...

Gilgamesh was perfectly aware of the fact that she wanted answers from him, and he knew that there was going to be a long conversation to follow. Arturia wanted – and deserved – an explanation, after reading the headlines from that morning. It was plain to see that she did not know what to make of the press's news; she did not know whether to believe them or not.

While it could have been disappointing for some people to know that she mistrusted him like this, for him it actually felt the opposite. In fact, he was more pleased by the fact that she was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, instead of immediately condemning him. But, at the same time, he couldn't say he was surprised: Arturia was all about fairness, she would never judge him without knowing the version of all parties involved, and therefore not without listening to him first.

Exactly like on that same morning, Gilgamesh felt fury invading him. He had already delivered his punishment, but he was going to make that pathetic excuse of a businessperson pay, again and again, for planting that seed of doubt in the media and his wife – _especially_ his wife. She was not going to jump to conclusions because luckily for him – and how weird it felt to think such a thing! – she was a better person than that, but she was rightfully going to demand answers.

He felt the juvenile urge to sigh and rub his temples, but suppressed it. How could he ever have anticipated, all those months before, that his marriage would end up being far more complicated than he had expected?

But it wasn't the time for such thoughts.

…

In truth, the day before Gilgamesh had been in meeting after meeting the whole day, to cancel a deal suggested by a business company, the Matous. Both he and Enkidu were fully aware of the fact that, even though they were quite the powerful entity, they had business methods that differed from theirs, and Gilgamesh did not intend to affiliate Uruk Enterprises with partners he did not consider beneficial nor worthy.

The lead emissary from the company, Mr. Shinji Matou, had however requested a dinner to finalize the cancellation of the potential deal and, as business courtesy, Gilgamesh had very reluctantly agreed. Enkidu had been with him, and the two of them had been accompanied by car to a place hardly appropriate for a dinner: one of Tokyo's most renowned nightclubs. Neither of them had expected to find themselves in such a local, nor had they expected it to be filled with reporters and escort girls.

Incensed, Gilgamesh had dismissed Shinji Matou curtly before leaving right away with Enkidu; but they had not noticed that several women had trailed after them and that pictures had been taken too.

He had been beside himself with blind rage because of the fact that he – _he_ , of all people! – had been fooled by those inferior businesspeople, and had therefore gone back to the empty offices, to walk off his wrath.

When he had seen the headlines, he had called in Enkidu and Iskandar to devise a simple and direct plan to have his revenge. He could not expose the truth without giving away his own mistake – as much as he hated using that word for something _he_ had done, it was the wretched truth – therefore, it had taken him a while to organize the whole thing. That was the reason why he had not been able to explain everything to Arturia right after receiving her message.

…

Gilgamesh shortened everything that had happened to tell it to his wife, as he still stood at his bedroom's door. It was actually ridiculous that he was keeping such a defensive pose while in his own home, but it was unavoidable.

She listened to him, wordlessly, and her face did not reflect her thoughts as it usually did. In fact, she looked emotionless.

He concluded, "This is what happened yesterday." Then, noticing her continued impassibility, he gave her a shrewd look. "Did you actually give credit to the headlines?"

She stared at him, the tension suddenly increasing between them. They were standing on opposite sides of the room, both beds between them, but it was as if the space separating them had abruptly become minimal.

She would not lie.

"…Since I did not know where you were last night, I didn't exclude any possibility."

He felt rage fill him again, pushing away any rational thought. _What_ _!?_ She had actually, honestly suspected him of… Yet he had thought that she would not _truly_ believe that…

"You genuinely thought that I would spend the night in such a place, even though we are married!?"

He took an abrupt step forward, his blood red eyes ablaze in fury. "What kind of man did you take me for, Arturia!?"

Things were escalating far too quickly, but she would not be defensive – she _would not_. He had been away the entire night and two whole days without an explanation, and he now resented her for trying to consider all the possibilities?

She could not help it – she snapped.

"I can take you for a man who looks after his self-interest and his own pleasure before anything else, Gilgamesh!"

Immediate silence followed, a silence full of guarded yet incandescent tension. They had never raised their voices like this during their past disagreements.

His tone was cold and low once he spoke again.

"I usually wouldn't concern myself with the media's opinion, or people's opinion in general, of me. But that my own wife, the one person who due to our deal is supposed to know better, can frankly have such thoughts about me… this is intolerable."

His gaze was even colder than his tone. He had thought she would not jump to conclusions and actually wait for his explanation, but she _had_ given the press some credit. It appeared that she disliked him far more than he had previously thought.

What mattered the most to him was his company and his work in it. His marriage had been a mere contract to give advantages to his famous name; nevertheless, that didn't mean that he would _ever_ disrespect and insult Arturia by having lovers or other relationships. Besides, he didn't even feel the desire to have any since _she_ –…

But those were thoughts for another time; he was engaged in a serious conversation with her at the moment.

She was not fond of him, there was little doubt about that, and he had been well aware of it at the beginning of their marriage. As they had been getting somewhat along in the past few weeks, however, he had thought for sure that she would not distrust him, or at least not completely… but he had miscalculated. Yet _again_.

He contemplated the idea of interrupting their unfinished conversation, leaving the room and simply going to spend the night in another bedroom, but it would not have been a wise – nor particularly mature – thing to do.

Therefore, he sighed. His voice was again controlled when he spoke, but not any less cold.

"I cannot imagine what part of my behaviour towards you made you think that I would do something as lowly and degrading as _cheating_ on you. Even if it's nothing but a contract, you are still my wife and I am still your husband. With everything that you dislike about me, I did not think you the type of person to be so ready to jump to conclusions – and _these kind_ of conclusions. This is something I truly cannot understand." Blood red eyes remained implacably glued to hers. "I did not think that your hatred for me would lead to this."

Arturia fought to keep her eyes on him and not lower her gaze. Indeed she could not say she was fond of him, but it did not go as far as he thought.

She had the right to be doubtful of him; it was true that he had never given her a reason to think he would cheat, but it was also true that he had never given her a reason to think the opposite.

Or maybe, could it be that she was she just trying to justify her reasoning…?

She _had_ to say something, and as reluctant as she was to actually say things like the following ones aloud, she _also_ had to tell the truth. He deserved as much.

Her tone lowered as she admitted, "I do not hate you, Gilgamesh. And perhaps I _did_ allow the media's words to influence me."

She took a deep breath. "But I don't think you have the right to completely blame me. You asked what kind of man I take you for and, in all honesty… I don't know the _real_ answer to that, for I don't know that much about you. You are aware of the premises on which our marriage started, and that is certainly not the kind of basis one would expect for a true union. I refuse to accept the blame for thinking ill of you, when I simply don't know you enough to be sure you wouldn't actually do what the press – and I – suspected you of doing."

His anger did not lessen one bit at hearing her words, but suddenly, his expression changed. That alone was enough to alarm her, and the following calculating glint in his eyes did that even more.

"But, Arturia, this is quite… odd. While what the press reported is not true, I have to wonder about the reason why you would actually _care_ this much about it. Even if it _were_ true, as you seemed to think, it doesn't influence the contract – and you should not really be concerned about this. You get the money anyway, regardless of me being… faithful or not. Why did you take the trouble of confronting me so seriously about it?"

Arturia opened her mouth and then closed it. Looking for an answer, she remembered what she had decided earlier in the day; it was a good enough answer, she decided, even though it was only a half-truth.

"Because you asked me to be a proper wife for you, and I agreed. But I can't do that if you stray – and especially if your supposed cheating becomes publicly known."

Strangely, he did not seem to take in her words with anger; instead, he measured her with his gaze, thinking. A few seconds of silence followed.

Slowly, a faint smirk began to stretch his lips.

"So… you were actually… _jealous?_ "

Arturia arched an eyebrow. She hadn't exactly expected such a question, but from a man like him, she couldn't say she was truly surprised – even though, just a few moments before, she had admitted she didn't know that much about him. She inwardly shook her head at herself, blaming fatigue for her confusing thoughts.

It wasn't hard at all to make her expression convincingly offended and disbelieving though, because those were actually her feelings.

Or so she thought, at least.

"I don't believe that to be the case, Gilgamesh. Jealousy can be a feeling of harsh possessiveness for something one no longer has, and I can't miss something we never had in this marriage."

His eyes seemed to be evaluating her once more, and for some reason, she had again a hard time not breaking his gaze. That irritating smirk, however, did not leave his face.

"You are only partially right, Arturia. Jealousy can also simply be a mental feeling of uneasiness originating from suspicions and fears." His smirk widened. "I dare assume that this was _exactly_ your case."

She would not let him try to play her; he enjoyed himself far too much in teasing her, and she was _tired_ of it.

She took a step towards him, avoiding her bed that was in the way.

"Go right ahead then, do what you accuse me of yet always do _yourself_ when it comes to me – _assume_ all you want. But please don't make the mistake of missing the point here." She took another step forward. "As you said, we did not talk about infidelity in the contract. How about doing it _now_?"

He observed her with inexplicably unreadable eyes, and then gave her a formal, stiff nod in acknowledgement.

"Fine. Talk, then."

She narrowed her eyes, feeling her irritation rising at his dismissive tone.

"Not if you order me to."

He narrowed his eyes as well. Every time they talked, it became a war of words. It was certainly fascinating to some degree, but it was also convoluted and migraine inducing.

"Why must you be so stubborn, Arturia?"

She openly glared at him. _That was it_.

"This is _not_ me being stubborn, Gilgamesh. This is me demanding you to show me a minimum amount of respect when addressing me!"

The blond man seemed slightly taken aback, but it was only for a second; his normal haughty expression was immediately back in place.

"Either way, the final result would be the same."

Arturia's fury had rarely reached such dangerous levels. The last time it had happened, she had slapped him.

"Oh, really. You think that ordering me around and trying to belittle me and treating me as your inferior will give you the same result as you behaving like a decent human being, growing up from your inexhaustible arrogance and starting to treat people as _people_?"

Eyes aflame, she held his gaze firmly, and waited impassively.

Another long, terse silence followed. It was impossible to guess what Gilgamesh was thinking, and Arturia decided not to even try, instead giving him the time to absorb her words.

He was actually contemplating the fact that indeed, _every time_ they talked, it got out of control. _Always_.

Then, slowly, Gilgamesh looked away… only to immediately look back into her eyes.

"I suppose… you may have a point."

She did her best to stop herself from rolling her eyes, even though the urge was almost overwhelming. He _supposed_ that she _might_ have a point?

However, the fact that he had at least admitted that she was right in this was a start.

Gilgamesh sighed. Only briefly, though.

"Very well. Let us talk about the matter of infidelity in our marriage." Contrary to her, he did not suppress the urge to roll his eyes. "Marriage, as it is, entails that no unfaithfulness is allowed. I don't see why that part should not be respected in ours."

Arturia stared at him. She wanted to slightly argue that point because… well…

He seemed to read her mind.

"I'm well aware of the fact that you did not give any thought to this previously because your sister's conditions were your main concern. But, as it happens, I don't have any intention of being untrue to my wife. I did make an agreement with you, and adultery wasn't part of it. However, this also means…" he took a sudden step closer to her, "…that you are bound to the same kind of oath as well."

He studied her green eyes keenly, taking in every shadow, every shade. The beds were no longer between them; they were almost standing directly in front of one another.

"You agreed to be my wife. And I will not accept my wife sleeping with other men or women, or sharing any kind of intimacy with anyone else."

She was not impressed by that monologue.

"You agreed to be my husband as well – and after saying all this, we can finally agree on the fact that cheating is something neither of us will tolerate."

Gilgamesh could not explain why, but he found that their conversation had become quite extraordinary. They had just decided that, even though there was no real relationship between them, they had to be faithful, and not just because of the marriage. They were going to be faithful to each other, because of a monetary contract. A _mere_ contract.

A contract he had made with a woman he found more fascinating by the day.

A woman who had admitted, more or less, that she would not have accepted it, had he truly cheated on her.

Not that it surprised him: he knew that Arturia had more self-respect than that.

The strange silence that was between them did not last long. She didn't know why, but she did not find herself at ease when they were not having a conversation and just stared at each other.

Since they had now cleared up the matter of unfaithfulness, they had other things to address.

She felt her throat beginning to get dry, but she ignored it, only clearing it briefly before continuing.

"What should be an important matter to consider right now is how to proceed from here." She looked at him pointedly. "As you told me, the businessman Shinji Matou is responsible for all this and he–"

He did not let her finish.

"About him, do not concern yourself. As I told you, Enkidu and I have made sure he regrets ever _thinking_ our names."

She eyed him warily, uncertain about whether or not to ask more. She decided to leave the matter be, but only for the moment – perhaps the next morning she could go back to it – and took a deep breath.

It was actually more easily said than done, since by now, they were basically standing face to face, and the proximity was a little disconcerting. But at least they weren't yelling at each other anymore, their conversation having lost the offensive tones from shortly before.

"Earlier, before you came home, when I was still considering this situation in a distasteful light… I did hope that it might just have been a misunderstanding, and that brought forth another problem."

She looked at him. "The press needs to be quieted down, and… I was considering a few options. Perhaps it would be for the best to appear in public sooner rather than later – meaning, within the next few days. To appear at a public event together would be a very efficient method of shutting the malicious gossip quickly."

She held up a hand to make sure he did not interrupt her. "I know – you'd rather feed the newspapers another gossip story and be done with it. I suggest… instead… we take a different approach."

Her expression was half-firm, half-expectant. She had something in mind, but she wanted to tell him first, and she wanted him to agree. More intrigued than he cared to admit, he gave her a nod, indicating for her to continue.

She looked directly into his eyes. "I suggest suing the National newspapers for spreading lies about our private life."

…

He heard her out, and his large smirk was more than enough indication that he fully agreed with what she wanted to do.

As soon as she was done talking, an awkward silence filled the room. They had clarified everything; the rest of the details could be determined in the morning. Nothing else was needed.

She attempted, unsuccessfully, to clear her throat again as she went to the fridge in their bedroom, taking out a bottle of water. All that talking had completely dried out her throat.

"There is dinner ready downstairs," she offered, uncharacteristically not sure about what else to say.

He met her eyes for a second, and then shook his head.

"I'm not feeling particularly inclined to have a meal at the moment. I will take a shower."

He disappeared inside the bathroom and, after almost drinking the entire bottle of water, she decided she could try to get some sleep. It had been quite the day, after all, especially with having the first serious discussion – _fight_ – with the man she had gotten married to.

The lights were not exactly ideal to fall asleep, but she knew her husband was probably still going to need them. Not long after she had made this consideration, he came out of the bathroom.

As they were about to turn the lights off, he spoke.

"Arturia."

She turned towards him, ready to pull the covers over herself. She wanted to sleep.

"Yes?"

He seemed to have genuine difficulty in getting the words out.

"I was late the past few evenings… because of work, cancelling and making deals, and didn't pay much attention to the time. I will make sure to come home earlier from now on."

She looked at him for a moment, her eyes unreadable. Only mere weeks before, he had let her know that he preferred her to come home earlier in the evenings, and he was now promising that he would do the same.

Then, she could make another suggestion of her own.

"Maybe… it would be for the best if you had breakfast here as well."

Sakura was going to have the scare of her life at having him present, but it would be positive if in the morning the two of them left together to go to work.

She was about to finally turn off the lights after he gave a short nod in reply, when he unexpectedly added, "Thank you."

Completely taken aback, she gaped at him.

"I beg your pardon?"

He cleared his throat, an annoyed expression appearing on his face.

"I said 'thank you', Arturia."

Seeing her question having some difficulties in being put into words, he spared her the trouble by going on, "For always keeping dinner ready for me, even when I came home very late. I… was not unaware of it, and it was much appreciated."

Without a word, she turned off the lights. She did not want him to see the unexpectedly fierce and undignified blush that had appeared on her cheeks.

And then she quietly murmured into the dark, "You're welcome, Gilgamesh. Please do make sure it's no longer needed from now on."

…

*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*

…

The next morning, poor Sakura did indeed have a huge scare when both her employers sat down in the kitchen to have breakfast together. The girl had overcome some of her shyness because of Arturia's kind manners, but something about having those two powerful people in the room together was very intimidating to her. Therefore, she was mute as she quickly served them their meals, before taking her leave to accompany Rin to school.

As soon as she was gone, Gilgamesh almost rolled his eyes and said, "It's ridiculous for the girl to behave in such a manner."

Arturia calmly sipped on her hot tea and answered, even though it had not been a question, "If you deigned to make your employees a little more at ease in your presence, then they wouldn't be so terrified of you."

Even if he did not give a reply aside from a small scoff, the blond man pondered over those words, as they made him notice something he had not considered before.

Arturia was his employee too, yet she had never showed to be terrified of him. She had been wary and guarded, yes, but only in order to keep her position – never because she feared him.

How interesting.

He managed to put the thought aside and focused on her, since she was asking him a question.

"I doubt I will like the answer, but I would like to know what you did – or will do – to… well… deliver your punishment on Mr. Matou, as you mentioned."

Gilgamesh's face darkened a bit at the mentioning of his name, and he scowled. It was already over, the punishment had already been delivered, and the details were probably going to be on the day's newspapers.

He had done a careful preliminary research on the vermin's past, noting that he was a frequent customer of that morally ambiguous place he had lured him and Enkidu to, and had also a long list of crimes of corruption, embezzlement and even blackmailing. That was where Gilgamesh's knowledge of underhand tactics had come to use, to destroy that man once and for all, even though finding proof of his shady dealings had been surprisingly easy.

After making Iskandar send Shinji a fake message about meeting in a public place to discuss a new potential deal, Gilgamesh had made sure that the press was there to wait for him, each reporter provided with a precise list of everything questionable he had ever done in his career with the Matous. When going to the supposed appointment the previous evening, Shinji had found himself publicly exposed and had had no time to invent excuses before the police took him away. His company was going to declare bankruptcy somewhere in the near future, because Enkidu had investigated the Matous' income, and under Shinji's care, it had gone from not very good to disastrous; no wonder he had been desperate to make a deal with Uruk Enterprises.

Gilgamesh told Arturia the essence of it and, noticing her concerned gaze, immediately guessed her thoughts.

"His employees will not lose their jobs, Arturia. What remains of his company will be purged and then incorporated into Uruk Enterprises."

She stared at him, before swallowing the piece of bacon that had been forgotten in her mouth as he was speaking. She hesitated for a second.

"I'm glad about that, Gilgamesh. I can't say I am fond of the methods you used to ruin Shinji Matou's life and career, nor can I approve of them, but I can respect the fact that you took his wrongdoings seriously and paid him back accordingly."

 _And that you actually cared about the consequences_ , she privately added, looking away briefly, least he read her thoughts in her eyes, as he seemed able to do with increasing frequency lately. Then she stared at him again.

"There is another thing I would like to emphasize. Since this entire matter has proven to be quite the scandal, as I told you yesterday, it would be good to be seen in public sooner rather than later, together, also at an event of sorts. It would be positive for our reputations."

He made a motion for her to go on. What she had just said was obvious, and she wouldn't have addressed him just to state something obvious.

She cleaned up the rest of her plate and took a sip of her almost finished tea.

"However, you hate the usual social gatherings, and I can't pretend I ever look forward to any of them. Therefore… I suggest we choose _specifically_ when to appear in public."

His expression clearly told her that she had to elaborate that quite generic statement or he would soon lose his limited patience.

"I was thinking of charity events, exhibitions and culturally impactful places. All these things are positive for the image we intend to present."

It was interesting to note that she was using the plural, mentioning both of them. It did not hurt that it was also a very good idea. Those social gatherings were a nuisance to say the least; if they had to go, it was indeed best if there was a _true_ use for them, not simply appearance's sake. Being more involved with charities would also be very constructive publicity for his name.

All he did was give her a nod, but his blood red eyes met hers, letting her know exactly how much he actually valued that suggestion. Being who he was, however, it was unlikely he would ever put his implied admiration into words.

…

*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*

…

Breakfast was over not long after that, and they took the limousine together to go to work, carefully avoiding any contact with the reporters still waiting outside. If the chauffeur was surprised at seeing for the first time husband and wife going to work together, he had enough sense not to let it show. While their behaviour that morning was not the norm, the two of them _were_ married, after all.

Work that morning went smoothly, but when lunchtime arrived and Gilgamesh came to her office to walk out of the building with her – they wanted to go to a nearby place to have their meal – he had a strange smirk on his face.

"Prepare yourself to meet a starving horde of reporters."

She stood up, leaving a few files ready on her desk for later, making her way towards him.

"Are we going to have to address them?"

His eyes were firmly fixated on her face, examining her expression carefully and thoughtfully before his strange smirk suddenly widened.

He could hold a press conference; he could speak with the press himself; he could avoid those mongrels entirely if he wanted to; he could do many other things too. However, he had already taken his revenge on the one responsible for everything; given that she had already suggested her ideas on what to do with the media, it wouldn't be bad to let Arturia deal with them.

If she wanted to, of course.

"That, dear wife, is something that this time I will leave entirely for you to decide."

As it turned out, it wasn't truly her decision to make. Waiting for them was the press, and most reporters were shouting questions in Arturia's direction, completely ignoring her silence as she and Gilgamesh looked for a way to walk around or through them.

"Mrs. Uruk, a comment on the scandal!"

"Did you neglect your husband, forcing him to sleep elsewhere, Mrs. Uruk?"

"How can you consider yourself a woman, Mrs. Uruk, if you stay with a man who cheated on you?"

"Are you not ashamed of what happened, Mrs. Uruk?"

"Do you really have the guts to show yourself in public after the scandal, Mrs. Uruk? Did you even read the newspapers?"

As the sentences became more and more offensive, Arturia felt her patience rapidly thinning. Finally, she turned towards the reporters, and they quickly quieted once they realized she intended – for the first time – to give a reply.

Even though she knew it was pointless, she looked each reporter around her in the eye, speaking slowly and firmly.

"Since it pertains what I am going to announce, I will answer your last question. As a matter of fact, I _do_ read the newspapers, and am well aware of the latest piece of news you all talk about. It's quite clear that an indescribable amount of money was made by selling it. Therefore," her voice was loud and clear, "I take your presence here as opportunity to let you know that my husband and I are going to file a lawsuit against the National newspapers for intentionally spreading blatant falsehood, writing complete and utter lies about our marriage and attempting to discredit our names simply in order to make money."

Her voice rose a little, to still be heard over the shocked gasps and murmurs that were erupting. "We ask that everything that was earned with yesterday's sells is paid double and given to this charity." She named one she was familiar with and had agreed on with Gilgamesh the evening before.

Then she gave one last look to the street full of people, before linking her arm with Gilgamesh. "That will be all."

The Uruk couple left the building followed by several other questions shouted by the press, but both ignored them to go have their lunch. They had nothing else to say – Arturia had already said everything.

Gilgamesh in particular was very satisfied, not even feeling slighted for not having had the opportunity to address the press himself. His smirk, as he walked away with her and transformed their linked arms into a handhold for appearance's sake – or maybe just because he _wanted_ to – could not have been wider.

He never found himself bored with her.

 _Ever_.

...

...


	25. Worry

…

…

...

...

By the next day, everyone knew that Gilgamesh and Arturia Uruk were going to sue the National newspapers for publishing lies about their private life.

Immediately following the public declaration, it also came to public attention that the newspapers had hastily paid what Mrs. Uruk had requested; it had most likely been to avoid a formal lawsuit that would have further damaged their reputation. They had profusely apologized for the ' _regrettable mistake of having false information and fabricated pictures in their paper,'_ and that they would ' _terminate any information from the source [they] had misguidedly believed to be reliable_.' After all, if the most powerful and famous couple in the world sued them for good reasons, well, it meant that it was time to back down and apologize.

The result was the increased popularity of the Uruk name, and a sudden surge of the company's prestige. It was _exactly_ what Arturia and Gilgamesh had wanted: a perfect way of closing an unpleasant incident and a positive reimaging for Uruk Enterprises.

Since such news was widely spread and incessantly talked about, even Iri, in her secluded place at the clinic, ended up hearing about it. The white-haired woman only heard the summary of it all on the Sunday news, and when her sister later came, she asked Arturia about it, wondering why she had to get information from a secondary news source about something like that.

Irisviel did hesitate at first. If her sister had not told her on her own, it meant that she probably did not want to talk about it, but there was also nothing wrong with asking, right? So she decided to build up her courage and inquire about the lawsuit she and Gilgamesh had filed – because when legal matters involved Ria, it could be worrisome.

"Ria, I was wondering," she began one late evening, as soon as Arturia had put Shirou to bed and was back in her room. Gilgamesh had come to have dinner with them, and he was now outside on a phone call. "I heard on the news that you and… your husband… intended to sue the National newspapers."

Her sister had never been the most talkative of people, but the silence that followed was long even for her.

So Iri went on, "The reporters said, and later denied, that your husband… that he… well, that he was… unfaithful. I know it's a contract and it's not a matter that should concern me, but if such a thing about him is true, Ria, I–"

"It's not," Arturia replied, calmly and reassuringly. "Gilgamesh didn't do anything of the kind, he didn't cheat on me. The press invented lies, and that was the reason for the lawsuit. However, the National newspapers have already issued a formal apology and also given an adequate amount of money to a charity of my choice. The matter is already settled."

Iri stared at her, gaze pensive, trying to conceal her wariness at her sister's almost frighteningly efficient decisiveness, before speaking up once again.

"Ria… what happened to have the reporters come up with such a scandalous story?"

Arturia's green eyes clouded over a little. She did not want to do what she was about to do, but she had already decided it on her own: she was not going to tell her sister about many of her dealings with Gilgamesh. Iri knew about the contract, of course, and about the general things she had agreed on with him; during the past few weeks, the blonde woman had filled her in about what had happened in her three months of coma, talking about Shirou, her own graduation, and the move to Japan. But she always avoided talking directly about the man she had wed and explaining how much her life had changed with the marriage.

Therefore, even if it did not feel good to do, Arturia forced herself to say, "I am really sorry to have to say this, Iri, but it's a matter between my husband and myself."

It was not that she was forbidden from telling her sister; it was simply something she decided could not be done. It was something that had to remain between her and her husband, so private that not even the person who was closest to her could know about it. That was because it was not just about herself; it deeply involved Gilgamesh, and Arturia was not the kind of person to divulge 'secrets' that were not solely her own. Only she and Gilgamesh knew the cheating scandals' full story, and it was going to remain that way. Not even Enkidu knew everything about it.

Her eyes, fixated on her sister's face with well-hidden apprehension, were begging Iri to understand.

Iri laughed and, giving her an accepting nod, changed the subject, talking about other things until Gilgamesh ended his phone call and came back into the room. Soon after, he and Arturia left.

As soon as her sister was gone, the white-haired woman lost herself deep in thought once again.

Contrary to what Arturia had feared, Iri was not hurt by the fact that she did not tell her that much about any of the private matters with her husband. Instead, Iri was _suspicious_.

Arturia's behaviour made her recall her own with Kiritsugu. There had always been things that just had to remain between husband and wife, things that could not be shared with anyone else. Her younger sister had always shown to understand that, and had never asked Iri anything invasive about her marriage to Kiritsugu.

Iri, on the other hand, had asked, assuming that there was nothing wrong in it, and yet Arturia had not replied.

She shook her head firmly. Her sister's marriage was only a contract, a monetary arrangement; that was what Arturia herself had always stated. She had said that they were each going to bring benefits to the other, but that that was it.

Then _why_ , as more and more time went by, did it look like it was something different? Something… _more_?

Iri was confined to a bed the entire time and she had missed three months in the lives of the people who surrounded her; it was completely possible that she was just imagining things.

But there was the fact that Arturia kept matters between herself and Gilgamesh private, as if they were a real couple. There was the fact that he went out of his way to drive to the hospital to escort his wife back home when it was getting late and share meals with her even though there was no need to keep up appearances in those moments. There was the strange and inexplicable tension that seemed to subsist between them whenever they were in the same room… and much, much more.

Addressing her sister on the subject was not going to be produce the desired results; it was best to leave it be.

However…

There were two people in that marriage, and Ria was only one of the two. Iri did not know the other person very well – or in fact, she did not know him at all – so maybe it would be wise if she focused on _him_ to be able to understand things better.

She did not intend to be nosy in her sister's life, but she had made a promise, a promise to be a better older sister for the person who had sacrificed so much for her.

Yes, she decided as she caressed her pregnant belly and felt her baby give some of their now regular kicks, she was going to learn more about her brother-in-law and perhaps… perhaps try to get along with him.

After all, whether they liked it or not, they were related now.

…

*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*

…

Arriving home a few days later, Arturia found Sakura in the kitchen, as she was finishing with the cooking. The woman was becoming fond of the girl, and knew that Iri, whom she had met a few times now, liked her as well. Her personality was shy, but kind and dedicated; aside from her excellent cooking skills, she truly loved and was very apt at looking after children. Plus, as if that wasn't enough, she was also good at hairdressing.

Perhaps, the blonde woman mused, once Iri was a bit better and her baby was born, Sakura could be persuaded to babysit for her. Her job at the Uruk household was not going to last forever, after all; ever since Arturia had found out that Gilgamesh could cook, the two of them had been working in the kitchen – together – more often than they expected.

As she helped the girl set the table – her husband was going to be home within half an hour – they were silent, at least until Arturia, out of curiosity, brought up the subject that was making the press go absolutely crazy those days.

"I assume you have heard about the suing Gilgamesh and I were involved with, Sakura," she questioned, observing the purple-haired girl's face as it remained quite unchanged.

"I have, Mrs. Ria," she said, with a slight hesitation in her tone.

Curving her lips in a semblance of a brief smile, Arturia said, "Once again, you don't seem surprised."

Sakura smiled as well, much more widely, bringing the cutlery to the table shyly.

"Mrs. Ria, I can make no mystery of my fear of Mr. Uruk, and I have also heard of his ruthlessness in his field of work. But even though he intimidates me, I know for sure that he is not a man to break his word – especially not to the woman he cherishes above anyone else."

Arturia blinked, and Sakura continued, completely unaware of the effect of her words on the stunned woman, "You are far too precious to him for him to ever do what the newspapers suggested, Mrs. Ria, so of course I knew right away that those articles were full of lies."

She had a dreamy expression on her face, but she soon snapped out of it when Arturia cleared her throat discreetly. Mortified, the girl was about to apologize for her mental escapade, but Arturia tactfully changed the subject with another question before she could do so.

"If this isn't too invasive, I would like to ask you about your dreams for the future, Sakura."

The girl looked up at her, a bit preoccupied. She understood the need to talk about something else, but she was somewhat puzzled about that specific matter.

"Well… I want to make sure Rin has the possibility to study as she grows up, because she's young but already smart and positively ambitious, and she deserves to have the best I can offer her."

Arturia could not avoid noticing the parallels there were between the girl's life and her own, but she still asked more.

"What about yourself, Sakura? What would you like for _your_ future?"

The girl shifted on her feet a little.

"Well… I'm not sure. I always liked history, and if I had the money and time for it, I would probably take history classes. But not for a job or anything of the sort… I just like it. I don't have particular ambitions regarding work positions – I would just like to earn enough to give my sister a future. I like being with children, helping people, cooking and doing housework… I really enjoy working for you, Mrs. Ria, because there is so much warmth here in this household. I would like to keep working for your family, as it is now and as it will be in the future."

She gave a sincere smile to the blonde woman, before hurrying back to the kitchen as she heard Gilgamesh's footsteps approaching. She might enjoy her work there, but she was still very much terrified of Arturia's husband.

As she sat down for dinner, the blonde woman felt guilt fill her, for deceiving sweet Sakura into believing that the Uruk family was a true one – even though, if seen in a logical light, it was actually positive, because it meant that the marriage was giving the desired impressions.

She was however feeling so guilty about it that she did not give much thought to the last words Sakura had pronounced.

When the girl had said that she wanted to work for the family 'as it was going to be in the future', Arturia had correctly guessed that she was referring to possible additions there were going to be, and therefore she assumed she had meant Iri's child.

In truth, Sakura's romantic mind had already made her imagine the kids _her employers_ might have: probably blonde children, as striking as their parents, and most certainly among the cutest toddlers to have ever been seen.

It was probably for the best that Arturia had guessed wrong, at least this one time.

…

*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*

…

…

*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*

…

As Iri started to pay more attention when both Gilgamesh and Arturia were at the hospital, trying to find an occasion to address him or just talk with him at length, she noticed a few other things.

When she and Ria spoke, her sister avoided mentioning her husband directly as much as possible. Aside from the explanation she had given the day Iri had woken up from the coma, she did not add many other details about the contract and the man she had married. However, it appeared that she did not notice that she actually _did_ talk about him – just in passing, maybe, or briefly mentioning something that involved him – and quite _often_.

Arturia was not the type to complain much; it was only from brief comments during talks about other things that Iri learned more about the man her sister had married, and she would not have noticed if she had not been paying attention.

According to Arturia, he was extremely confident to the point of being arrogant; he was ruthless in his business dealings and at the workplace, but also fair, at least usually; and, for some reason that Iri decided not to ask more about, he had also great fashion sense. As Arturia had once fleetingly mentioned, he had made her go shopping with him more than once and had bought all her clothes.

All that information, difficult to gather and requiring a lot of patience since her sister hardly ever let anything slip, made Iri even more curious about the man.

Who, exactly, was Gilgamesh Uruk?

Another important question came to the white-haired woman's mind every time she talked with her sister: did _he_ know _her_? Did Gilgamesh Uruk know Arturia? Did he know about her as a person and about her past?

Knowing Ria, it was very unlikely she had given away much about herself, if anything at all.

Well then. That meant that she had a good topic to bring up if she ever managed to speak with him on her own.

To be honest, Iri felt quite uneasy about that. He _was_ an intimidating man, and something about him was extremely majestic. She briefly wondered how her sister managed to deal with him all the time, let alone _share a room_ with him – but then she recalled that it was _Arturia_ , and if anyone could make it, it was her.

Speaking herself with the man everyone called 'Mr. Uruk' though… He was the person her sister had made a deal with, a very delicate and complicated deal, a deal she did not know much about, as Ria had not told her the details.

What if she ended up saying something that unwittingly endangered that entire deal? After everything that Ria had done for it, after everything that she had sacrificed for it… was Iri going to ruin all that?

She could _not_ risk doing such a thing.

Furthermore, as much as she tried to overcome such a feeling, Gilgamesh Uruk did indeed frighten her a bit. He was imposing and scary, and the way he stared at people was constantly disdainful and haughty. Iri did not believe she was ready to face him on her own, or at least… not yet.

That did not mean, however, that she was going to leave the matter be. She wanted him to know a few more things about her sister, and the occasion to let him know that came sooner than expected.

…

*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*

…

Gilgamesh and Arturia had agreed to participate in an event as soon as possible, together, to confirm the fact that any rumour of crisis in their marriage was completely unfounded. As for the event, they had chosen the inauguration of the first hotel in the world that was completely powered by renewable energy.

Since it was to take place in the evening and it was not in Tokyo, Gilgamesh came to the hospital in the middle of the afternoon with the limousine to pick Arturia up.

When he arrived the blonde woman was however still taking a stroll in the gardens with Shirou; therefore, Iri saw that her sister's husband remained waiting outside her room, obviously quite annoyed because of it. Right in that moment, the nurses were with her, taking her vitals and doing the daily check-ups.

The head nurse, Sola-Ui, was a cold, haughty and disdainful woman; she wasn't exactly rude, but she did constantly snap at everyone and only calmed down and actually blushed once Doctor Diarmuid was around. The other nurse who tended to her especially, Kariya, was instead a much gentler person.

He was about nine years older than her, and he had taken to heart her delicate pregnant conditions and Shirou's welfare with genuine kindness. Iri could talk in quite a relaxed manner with him, even about personal subjects; in fact, he was one of the few people with whom she had voluntarily spoken with about her husband's death.

Sola-Ui – or Madam Sophia-Ri, as she preferred being called – left soon after the checking of her conditions, leaving the door open; Kariya instead remained with her, as usual making her more comfortable in her bed, putting away the syringes and readying the medications for later.

Ria usually did those things, but she was outside with Shirou at the moment and was expected to leave with Gilgamesh right afterwards; Kariya had not even needed to be asked, he had immediately offered to do her usual tasks in her stead.

As he distended the pillows and helped her lie down, he conversationally told her, "You know, Irisviel," – the white-haired woman had insisted on the use of first names from the beginning, not liking the formal 'Ms. von Einzbern' – "I was checking the forms to order your medicaments yesterday, and I happened upon your sister's signature from a few months ago. I had thought that her maiden name was 'von Einzbern', too."

Iri did not mind Kariya's implicit question, because he was a nice man and he was asking only in harmless curiosity. He had not noticed that the door had remained open after Madam Sophia-Ri's exit and that therefore Mr. Uruk – her sister's husband – could hear every word, but _she_ had.

She decided it was actually a somewhat subtle yet very good opportunity to talk a bit about her sister in a way that Gilgamesh would be able to listen to.

Therefore, she smiled and closed her eyes briefly as she carefully sank into the pillows.

"Ria is my half-sister. Our mother is the same, but my biological father died before I was even born. My mother remarried, and her second husband is the man I grew up to consider my dad."

Seeing Kariya's concerned glance, she smiled again. "No need to be apprehensive, Kariya. I don't talk about our parents with ease only because the last time I was in Japan, they both died in a plane crash."

The man's eyes held sincere sympathy.

"I am very sorry about it, Irisviel."

She accepted his honest condolences with a slight nod.

"Thank you. But I was actually lucky… you see, I had just gotten engaged back then, and therefore I had my future husband to help me through the emotional distraught. My sister, instead… it happened only a couple of weeks before she turned eighteen. And barely a month later we moved to America, where she started college. Yet she still found the time to comfort me over her own sadness."

She smiled more widely as Kariya returned her smile and finished putting her bed covers carefully in place over the IV. "Ria is a very strong person. She has always been the strong one." Some sadness crept in her voice at those last words.

Kariya put his hand on her wrist and gave her a gentle squeeze in comfort.

"I believe both of you are very strong, Irisviel."

He was always so kind, Iri thought, giving him a smile in thanks.

"If I truly was, I wouldn't have fallen into depression after… after… after Kiritsugu… I mean, if I had been less focused on my own grief, I wouldn't have forced Ria to take care of Shirou and me and would have noticed about the pregnancy and–"

"Irisviel, don't think like that," Kariya gently soothed, seeing how she was beginning to get worked up, especially after having mentioned her late husband. "You know that Ria doesn't see things that way. You shouldn't, either."

He offered another one of his sincere smiles before regulating the quantity of fluids in the IV. And Iri let her thoughts wander.

Kariya was a very nice man. The conversations with him were always pleasant, and even when they broached personal matters they never became uncomfortable.

When she had first heard his surname – Matou – Ria had for some reason been a bit wary of him, but when she had heard that he had been disinherited and disowned by his family, her suspicion had turned into sympathy and she had put her initial guardedness aside. Ria had privately explained to her that she knew about the Matou family because of their business field, and even though she was aware that it was unfair towards him, she was glad about the fact that Kariya was no longer associated with them in any way.

Kariya had told both Iri and Arturia about his life. He had loved a woman very deeply, a childhood friend of his, who unfortunately had not returned his feelings and had married someone else. Kariya knew that she loved her husband, and even though his heart broke because he was not able to be with her, he could find it in himself to be happy for her. He had only recently heard that she had died a few months before, having gone insane after her husband's suicide, and it had been a hard blow on him. He was still recovering from that.

Iri thought that his strength was not too different from Arturia's: he put other people's happiness before his own with complete abnegation, and he did not let his personal grief affect his normal behaviour towards other people. He also fought to keep himself together, doing a job he loved with unaffected care for the patients. His kindness towards her and Shirou was proof of it.

He was quite strong in dealing with his sorrow, Iri considered. She, instead, had many more difficulties in moving on from the hurtful past, as merely mentioning her husband's name had made her feel deeply miserable. However, she noticed that the strong pain in her chest that had been a constant companion ever since Kiritsugu had died was starting to reduce.

Slowly, very slowly – but it was beginning to become more similar to a dull ache whenever she thought about him. She knew that it was a step, a small step but a step nonetheless, towards her recovery.

She was so immersed in her thoughts that she was a little startled once Arturia entered the room, preceded by Shirou.

Iri had forgotten that she had been talking with Kariya about a specific part of her past mainly to make sure Gilgamesh Uruk overheard their conversation. She hoped her small subterfuge had worked, because talking with him was, as usual, so pleasant that it made her forget everything else.

Kariya helped Shirou climb onto her bed before taking his leave with another of his gentle smiles. Iri thought there was some warmth in it too, but could not concentrate on it because Arturia was giving him a few words of thanks and he was turning towards her to brush them aside with one of his usual 'it was nothing' remarks.

Kind Kariya. His presence was always a welcome one. Iri did not notice how Arturia's gaze briefly went from her to him with a hint of a raised eyebrow, but she did take note of her brother-in-law entering the room and staring at her sister pointedly.

Arturia briefly kissed Shirou's forehead and her cheek before leaving with Gilgamesh; Iri scrutinized him as he left, but she could not determine whether or not he had overheard the conversation between Kariya and herself.

Well, she had tried. There was only so much she could have done; she had to be careful not to overstep any boundaries, because as much as she wanted to help Ria, she had no right to interfere with her life unless she requested it. Perhaps she should have considered this before – but her sister would not have been pleased with her meddling, no matter how kindly meant it was. Unless Ria asked for her help, Irisviel could not be too forward.

Moreover, even though all she wanted was to support and look out for her sister, what truly mattered was Ria's happiness. Iri thought it was rather unlikely that she was _happy_ at the moment, but she wasn't _unhappy_ either.

Therefore, rather than trying to meddle – with mixed results – it was probably better if she took a step back and simply observed her sister instead, because the white-haired woman trusted Ria's judgement and wanted to let her know as much.

Right now, her son needed her attention, since he was leaning against her belly and watching the baby's kicks with fascination.

Things were slowly but surely getting better, Iri decided, as she held Shirou close.

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They made a quick detour by the house to change into proper attire and pick up some luggage for the event before taking off in the limousine again. As it happened, since it was the inauguration of a hotel, they had been asked – or, more appropriately, _offered_ – to spend the night in one of the rooms of the renewable energy's brand new place. Arturia was doing her best to avoid giving too much thought to the matter, but the long car ride was making it inevitable.

That was however the case only until Gilgamesh broke the silence by addressing her unexpectedly.

"Are you approving of the relationship between the nurse and your sister?" he asked.

She stared at him, half-confused, half-guarded. They had to go to a public event and appear together in front of the cameras while giving the impression of being in love; it was going to be hard to manage if they had a discussion right before that. And most of their conversations, unfortunately, tended to end up in such a way.

Warily, she slowly replied, "It depends on what you mean, Gilgamesh. And I don't think this is a subject we should discuss in the first place."

His blood red eyes studied her green ones for a few seconds before seemingly deciding, to her inner relief, to leave the matter be.

Arturia was not sure what exactly he had meant to find out with that question, and she did not want to give an answer to it. She did not know what kind of relationship Iri and Kariya had, beyond the patient-nurse one, therefore she didn't think it was wise to speculate or talk about it, least of all with her husband.

The rest of the car ride was spent in silence and before long, they reached the hotel. As she was stepping out of the vehicle, Arturia mentally prepared herself to plaster a smile on her face and not blink too much once the flashes were going to start. She also made sure not to take more than one step away from Gilgamesh, so that the press would see that they were _literally_ close to each other.

Perhaps it would have been for the best if she started a conversation with him, a harmless conversation, at least while they were surrounded by the flashes. It would actually force her to keep close to him to make sure they heard each other, at the very least.

Keeping her face relaxed – or as relaxed as it was possible while focusing on having a smile she didn't mean – she remained very close to her husband, feeling his arm going to surround her waist possessively and the flashes starting to blind them both. She felt some irritation at his silence; they had an agreement to always have a subject for conversation, but he did not seem inclined to help at the moment.

She had to find something to say, anything at all.

Therefore, she leaned towards his ear, and murmured sardonically, "This is just in order to have something to talk about for the evening… but tell me, Gilgamesh, what are your hobbies?"

His eyelids had the minimal twitch, which indicated that he was very aware of the fact that she was provoking him. His tone remained light and his arm tightened almost imperceptibly around her waist, as they both remained still long enough to have pictures taken of them.

He seemed, surprisingly, to decide to humour her question.

"My job is the kind that leaves very little time for hobbies, Arturia, but you have been around me long enough to already know that my work is most important to me. Things that other people consider entertainment just bore me; however," and he leaned a little forward, closer to her, making sure that both of them were in the best position to be caught on camera, "I do believe I have recently found a hobby I enjoy very, very much."

She continued to smile for the press, their bodies pressed against each other a bit too intimately for comfort, and her arms went up to be on his chest, no longer staying limp at her sides.

"Oh? Do surprise me, Gilgamesh. What would that be?"

With a sudden movement, he turned his face towards her, pressing his lips against hers without warning.

Arturia's eyes widened, but he had manoeuvred them so that her face was hidden from view as the flashes went off, and he only freed her mouth once they heard people start _clapping_. He kept her still covered from the media's watchful cameras by tracing her ear with his lips, and his voice was barely above a whisper as he spoke – but she could hear him loud and clear.

" _Teasing you,_ Arturia."

He pulled away then, smirking at her thunderstruck yet quickly enraging expression and, his arm still around her waist, guided her inside the building where they were being expected.

As she took in the tasteful décor of the hotel that was going to be inaugurated, Arturia mentally cursed him and questioned herself.

Once again, she had let her guard down, and he had taken advantage of it as he always did.

Then why did this time not make her feel as incensed, as she would have normally felt?

...

...


	26. Spirit

**A/N** : I honestly didn't plan the Irisviel-Kariya relationship, it came up while writing and I just decided to go with it ;) don't worry though, most of it will happen off-screen. Thank you so much to Jolanikati for editing!

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The evening went by without problems.

Neither of them had to speak much, their mere presence was enough to suffice. Luckily the event was meant to promote something as important as renewable energy, so there were several speeches from people involved in the construction of the hotel, most of whom worked for Uruk Enterprises, which had played a major role in bringing the project into fruition.

While there was no direct request for them to speak, all the stares at them truly began to make Arturia uncomfortable. She could usually shake them off or ignore them, but she was slightly on edge that evening.

Gilgamesh seemed unsurprisingly able to read her mind but, _surprisingly_ , neither mocked nor scoffed at her.

Instead, he grasped her hand. He did it in public, but discreetly.

It was only a small gesture to show affection, one that was not too uncommon for married couples; the stares only increased at that, but Arturia found herself suddenly impervious to them.

He had probably done that just for show, but it had still been unusually considerate of him to do _something_ when he had noticed her feeling ill at ease in such an unknown place.

Arturia did not love her husband, but that didn't mean that she couldn't appreciate this gesture of his, regardless of whether it had been earnest or not.

Her hand enveloped in his, she squeezed it lightly, briefly, knowing that he would receive – and understand – her silent message of thanks.

She had completely forgotten to remain upset at him for unexpectedly kissing her in public earlier.

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Later that night, she retired to their room first. Gilgamesh received a phone call from Enkidu about work and went out on the terrace to speak with him while she got changed for sleep.

As she unbound her braided chignon and brushed her golden locks with expert ease, her eyes swept over the hotel room. It was a very elegant place, with modern furnishing and strategically placed lights – all rigorously fuelled by renewable energy – to make it a dream-like room, 'especially for young couples', they had said at the inauguration, and Arturia had only barely managed to keep her expression politely composed.

She was there, on this specific evening and in this specific room, surrounded by media, solely _because_ of the media in the first place. If they had not published the false story of the cheating, making her suspect of Gilgamesh, they probably wouldn't have decided to only participate to _worthy_ events.

The press's articles had been the ones that had led to everything that was decided next; but it had also been because she had actually believed that there was _truth_ to the statements they had reported, the statements about her husband cheating on her. To be honest, it had been a bit unfair on her part, to think him capable of breaking his word to her in such a manner.

But she could not find a logical explanation in herself: when she had thought about him betraying her – the man who was giving her money for her sister, whom she generally disliked and with whom she shared a bedroom – why, _why_ had she felt a stab of a feeling she could now unmistakably identify as _hurt_?

Such considerations were absolutely ridiculous and foolish. With a firm gesture, she braided her hair in a more relaxed hairstyle, comfortable for sleeping, and resolved to push those thoughts out of her mind. Satisfied with her decision, she turned towards the bed, only to stop dead in her tracks.

Oh. There was going to be a problem regarding that.

In that moment, Gilgamesh came in from the terrace, his phone call concluded, and raised an eyebrow at her, since she was standing still and staring at the bed quite intensely.

Turning her head towards him, she detachedly informed him, "This bed is not separable into two. It's a single one."

Even as her expression was composed, inwardly she was screaming. There wasn't a second bed, nor was there a couch. _There was only one bed for both of them_.

It was a thankfully king-size one, but she was not going to share a bed with Gilgamesh. She would _not_ do such a thing.

It was one thing to be on better terms with him than usual; it was another to _sleep next to him_.

He rolled his eyes at her, clearly of the opinion that she was overreacting. He had already changed into nightwear earlier; therefore, he went over to the bed and slipped under the covers with his usual classiness undeterred.

With a motion of his hand, he beckoned her closer. She did not move a step.

He only seemed amused by her behaviour, and gave a teasing pat to the spot next to him on the bed, even as he did not invade her 'side' of it.

"If it puts you more at ease, I give you my solemn word, Arturia, that I will not do anything to you. Now stop being so wary, come here and have some sleep."

Her eyes examined him carefully, weighing him, before she slowly approached the bed. He had given her his word, and could it be that he had _truly_ done it to make her feel more at ease…?

All she had to do was share a bed with her husband for one night, after all, and he had even made a promise not to do anything. She could do this.

She sat on the edge of the bed, cautiously leaning down, making sure she stayed as far from him as possible. Even though he had just promised to be respectful, she could not deny that she was still uncomfortable. While he wasn't a stranger to her anymore, he certainly wasn't a person she trusted to have so close to her, in her personal space, and even less so during her sleep.

There was little she could do about it though, unless one of them agreed to sleep on the floor, in spite of the fact that the bed was extremely comfy.

Making sure she remained on the edge of the bed with the soft sheets surrounding her and working as a barrier, very slowly, Arturia allowed herself to drift off to sleep.

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Arturia felt her consciousness slowly coming back to her, and she blinked sleepily. Her bed had always been very comfortable, but this morning it appeared to be even more so. Warm, soft, pleasant, heavy…

…heavy?

The rest of her body remained painfully still, but her eyes snapped open in speechless shock as she remembered where she was.

She was however no longer on the edge of the bed. She was comfortably lying on her side in the middle of the mattress, facing away from Gilgamesh, and her husband's arm was thrown around her waist, pressing her form close to his. The particular warmth and heaviness – and comfort, as much as she dreaded the implications of that line of thought – she had felt was _his body_.

Even as her heartbeat increased a little, Arturia quickly thought about what the best course of action was. She could feel his slow and deep breathing next to her ear, which told her he was still asleep. All her nightclothes were still in place, and so were his, as she could discern from feeling him so close to her.

While it was certainly nota position she had ever wanted to be in, much less _wake up_ in, she could make a consideration: Gilgamesh had not broken his promise to her – he had not done anything. She couldn't roughly shake him off and start the morning with a quarrel.

Well, to be fair, she _could_ , but she did not _want to_.

For one, they were not in their home; they were in a hotel, and it was never a good idea to start a discussion in an unfamiliar place. She was also well aware of the fact that no one could control the position they were in in the morning when waking up, so it was neither useful nor fair to accuse Gilgamesh of trying anything, when he obviously was not at fault.

It had been something accidental; she should not attack him right away because of it.

Very slowly and carefully, she took his arm and lifted it off her, sliding away from underneath it and then putting it on the covers. She stopped for a moment, listening. His breathing continued to be even, reassuring her about the fact that he was still asleep.

Making sure not to make any noise, she took her clothes and went to the bathroom to dress for the day. He may be asleep, but she would not risk getting changed in the same room as him.

As soon as the bathroom door closed behind her, Gilgamesh's eyes snapped open and stared at the place she had just vacated. Contrary to what she had thought, he had not been sleeping at all; he had been awake for a while already.

In fact, he had woken up and found himself in that position, with his arm around his wife's body, cradling her close to him. He had not felt the need to move nor to get up, and had simply waited for her to wake up as well, quite comfortable in his current location. Never having felt her body so close to his – as usually he just had an arm around her waist when in public, but nothing more – he did not find the sensation unpleasant at all.

Once he felt her stir, he had expected her to shove him away or kick him or react in some other violent way, and he had been ready to be amused and chuckle at her antics.

She had however taken him by surprise by being unexpectedly gentle; she had of course moved him away from her, but not roughly, nor had she yelled at him in an unreasonable manner.

That was… confusing. And it was giving him a strange, unknown feeling, because he knew that Arturia had probably resolved to behave like that in order not to disturb him and let him sleep some more. Instead of being indignant about the awkward position in which she had found herself, she had likely stifled her unease and had been considerate of _his comfort._

When she came out showered and dressed, he concluded that it was time for him to get up, too. Since she did not mention the morning incident at all, he decided that he would leave it be as well, especially because he still couldn't quite place the emotions he had felt earlier.

And Gilgamesh Uruk did not like the very few things he did not know how to deal with.

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They were offered a very sumptuous breakfast in the dining hall, and one look from Gilgamesh was enough to grant them a private table.

The evening before, they had met several people mainly involved in charities, and Arturia had been swift in expressing her support to their causes – when she deemed them reasonable and worthy – and allowed them to announce her name publicly among their official supporters. She had already spoken with her husband about it after the 'cheating' incident, and even though he had not given her a direct answer, it was clear that he approved of her actions.

He was not used to dealing with charitable organizations and was not looking forward to having to be involved in them any time soon, but if she took care of everything and did it in his – their – name, then it could only be considered a huge benefit to their position as a power couple.

An obsequious waiter brought them each a newspaper, and they both took a glance at the front pages. The hint of a frown in Arturia's brow indicated that she was holding back a small scoff.

 _Mr. & Mrs. Uruk closer than ever: first kiss in public since the wedding!_

It was extremely positive that the press was fully enthusiastic and supportive of them, but were there seriously people who _counted_ the number of times they kissed in public? Perhaps she had truly underestimated the reporters' eagerness.

Her eyes quickly scanning the article, she found little that could interest her, and she went back to focusing on her breakfast. She intended to have Sakura come over to the hospital later in the day, to make sure she and Iri became better acquainted while Shirou and Rin played together.

Sakura was very good at taking care of children and she liked it as well; Iri's conditions were improving wonderfully and she had been told that she was going to be able to leave the hospital after giving birth. However, she was not going to be able to manage two small children on her own while still being quite weakened; Arturia would of course make sure she helped her herself, but she also planned on offering Sakura a job as a part-time babysitter. To do that though, she first meant to make sure Iri and the purple-haired woman found an increased degree of friendship with each other.

She was brought out of her plans for the day when Gilgamesh cleared his throat, getting her attention, and asked her an indirect question. She stared at him, as he sipped on his boiling coffee calmly and addressed her.

"I believe we had started a conversation yesterday, about the nurse and your sister."

Her hand, holding her teacup, froze in mid-air, and he chuckled. His blood red eyes stared at her over his own teacup, a teasing glint appearing in them.

"From what I understood, you didn't get along with your brother-in-law that much. That means that you should not find it bad in the least to see the nurse with–"

"It's true that I did not like Kiritsugu," she interrupted him in a low voice.

He did not conclude his sentence, allowing her the time she needed to speak again.

Ever since he had unintentionally overheard her sister speak at the hospital the day before – and he was fairly certain that the white-haired woman had intended for him to listen – he had wanted to know a little more about her past, and his wife had just willingly told him something.

He knew that, if he pressed and teased Arturia, she was going to snap and then close herself even more. Since he wanted the opposite, he simply waited.

"Kiritsugu was not a… cruel man, I think. I disliked him because he was cold and ruthless, and a much rougher person compared to Irisviel. Iri is far from being an innocent, helpless person, but she is gentler. Kiritsugu knew much more about the world's horrors – and he welcomed it, in some ways, in his mind and soul. I… respected his knowledge and capability of handling all that darkness, but I could not approve of it." She paused briefly. "He also wasn't supportive in my opinion; Iri was very supportive of him, but he never cared much for what _she_ wished to do with her own life."

She stood a little straighter, and added some sugar to her tea. It was getting easier to talk about her sister's husband. "Personally, I did not like him. But it was not me who had to like him – it was Iri. And she loved him dearly, he truly loved her back and he made her happy. That was more than enough."

She took a sip from her tea, finding its warmth soothing and making her feel more comfortable around such a delicate subject.

His eyes had not left her the entire time, contemplating her.

He slowly said, "Therefore, you being you, Arturia, you made an effort to get along with him."

She did not nod, nor did she shake her head.

"I tried."

Leaning forward slightly, he gave her a smirk.

"The amount of things you do for your sister's sake is quite astounding, Arturia."

Instead of gaping at him, she frowned.

"It's instead quite normal. Would you do any less for Enkidu?"

That silenced him. She had probably made the best point ever, and her emerald green eyes told him that she was well aware of it.

"Gilgamesh, it seems that you only understand things once they are put into perspective in _your_ world." She inclined her head. "Iri is my sister. My best friend. My _family_. Same as Enkidu is your best friend… your _brother_. _Your_ family."

When the waiters came to clean up the table several minutes later, husband and wife had still not exchanged another word after Arturia had so disarmingly outmanoeuvred Gilgamesh.

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Back to the mansion they lived in, Gilgamesh had a request for his wife. It was not unexpected, since he had already asked her to do such a thing before, but it was still quite a surprise when he made her attend the meetings with his work associates.

When she inquired about the reason for it, he simply told her that since her sister was getting better, she had now more time to fully concentrate on work; and he wanted her to be present at the debriefings. He curtly said that she was good at her job, but she had room for improvement, and attending those meetings was therefore going to be constructive.

The first few times, she sat at the table with everyone else, and simply listened. Enkidu was always present – when he wasn't abroad – Iskandar most of the time too, and the various directors of the offices were part of the meetings as well.

Arturia had very little to say; she always went through the day's agenda, therefore she was aware of what the object of discussion was, but she was more interested in hearing what the others came up with.

After the first meeting, Gilgamesh had to speak with one of his American subordinates and therefore left the room, but after the second meeting, once everyone else had left, he closed the door and sat down in front of her.

They were in one of the large offices on the first floor of the main building of Uruk Enterprises. It had been furnished by one of Gilgamesh's smaller projects, Mana Corporations, and she had to admit that they had done a marvellous job. Everything was designed in order to give a soothing and comfortable aura – yet still appropriate for a working environment – for the people sitting in the room.

She brought her eyes back on him when he addressed her.

"Speak what's on your mind, Arturia. You are rarely quiet for so long, and during both meetings you hardly intervened at all."

She looked at him pensively. There had been two new associates present that day.

"I hold some curiosity towards Mr. Ryuudou," she finally said.

Gilgamesh's eyes began to show some traces of boredom.

"He's an ambitious person and his work has been satisfactory so far. There is little else about him that would elevate him from being average."

She bit her lip briefly. Would it be wise to say what she thought? No one would hear their conversation, and she had never held back from speaking her mind clearly in front of her husband.

Even if it was about work, this was still Gilgamesh, the man she had married, and she had never been particularly shy in telling him what she thought.

Deciding to overcome her slow hesitation, she went into more detail.

"Today you made your instructions clear to him. But, if I may say it, I would advise you to be careful. He will do what you ask him to do, but he will not tell you _how_ he manages it. He will care more about showing you the completed results rather than taking proper care of all the steps needed to get there. As you said, he's ambitious. But he's also imprudent and even slightly rash… he is underestimating you and your control over him, and therefore will try to put himself in the best possible light to win your favour. From the way he speaks, it seems as if he wants that more than the actual good results in his work. He just needs the results to have your approval… nothing more."

She waited a few seconds after saying that. She was quite certain that he was going to dismiss her with a scoff, but he continued to stare at her, his expression suddenly unreadable.

Therefore, she decided to continue.

"Also, there was another person today, Mr. Tachibana from your new branch in Australia. I don't believe you briefed him – you only introduced him."

At that, Gilgamesh did scoff lightly.

"If he had trouble in following the discussion, it means he should have prepared himself better."

"But he has been making your business flourish, and he is not the deceitful kind at all. Why are you antagonizing him by being so dismissive towards him? You could be kinder to him, and you'll get a truly trustable associate in the field of Australia, where you have still limited influence as for now. And since you are in Japan at the moment, closer contact with the entire continent in the Pacific would be beneficial."

She had perhaps crossed the line with those last comments, but since she had already crossed it, she might as well take the full step over it.

"You are a very good judge of character, Gilgamesh. You see things about people that I don't. You read through them easily, and with admittedly quite frightening accuracy… but that doesn't mean that you analyze all you find out about them." She held his gaze steadfastly. "You read them effortlessly; sometimes you need just one look to gather a tremendous amount of information on them. But you underestimate them… just like you underestimated the press with the scandal of the cheating affair."

Their clash of green and crimson seemed very unlikely to be over any time soon; instead, to her astonishment, he smirked widely and inclined his head in her direction briefly.

"If what you're saying is true, it may be likely that I underestimated my wife as well." He leaned back against his chair again. "It was a good idea to have you attend the meetings. You'll take part in the next ones too."

Her eyebrows rose quite a bit at that statement. What exactly had happened to him? And how had he managed to turn their talk into a compliment to himself…?

His smirk only widened at her expression. "Did you honestly think I requested your presence at these meetings for no reason, Arturia?"

She furrowed her brow in mild confusion. Had he actually _wanted_ her to speak her mind? To tell him exactly what she thought of the people he was working with? Only because… she was a person who would not be afraid of basically insulting him to his face and questioning his actions directly?

His smirk widened even more as he casually teased, "I only said that I _might_ have underestimated you, Arturia, not that I _did_."

She shook her head slightly, feeling her bewilderment grow. What exactly was Gilgamesh's play?

"No play – this is work. A good use of the capabilities of my employees."

She hadn't even realized she had asked her question aloud, and he had smoothly answered her. He stood up and took both their coats, handing over hers in a very uncharacteristic display of gentlemanly behaviour.

He smirked at her again when she accepted it after a moment of hesitation.

"The limousine is waiting to take us home. The Tohsaka girl should have cooked dinner by now."

His eyes gleamed strangely as he escorted her out to the car.

While Gilgamesh ran Uruk Enterprises on his own and did not tolerate any interference – Shinji Matou, who had attempted to do such a thing, was suffering the bitter consequences for it – he wasn't arrogant enough not to value the thoughts of people who showed insight. Enkidu was one such person; some of the people he had put in charge of his offices as well; Iskandar would occasionally be another (unrequested though); and his wife Arturia had recently been added to the short list.

Uruk Enterprises was his kingdom, and to make it prosper, he would go to almost any kind of length. He was running it expertly, but it was now so vast – and continuously expanding as well, he thought with pride – that he could not take care of everything on his own. He could only accept the assistance from people he knew would not attempt to flatter him or lie just in order to gain his favour.

Enkidu had grown up with him, and he had no problems in being blunt and addressing any kind of issues. He was sharp and had more contact with the staff, his friendly ways allowing him a different kind of relationship with the employees, and therefore a different insight on them. He would also tell Gilgamesh the exact truth, without concealing anything.

Arturia was an employee as well, and she was his wife. Her nature of being rather reserved and detached from others yet not being lacking in empathy in the least had given her the capability of having yet again a different kind of insight. When in meetings, she formed her own opinions and drew her conclusions about matters. He did not find himself agreeing with her all that often, but that did not mean that her words were to be discarded only because she saw things in a different light.

In fact, it was precisely her point of view that could add a new level of perception to what happened at the offices, because of how dissimilar it was compared to his. A new viewpoint, especially hers, was not necessarily unwelcome.

Moreover, she would not back down from telling him anything; she would not change her views to appease him, nor would she give up on her thoughts only because they contrasted with his or, heaven forbid, could offend him. She would straight up tell him what she thought, as long as he prompted her to talk to him.

She had her own opinions on his employees and work associates, and they could prove to be important for the prosperity of his company, especially after what had happened previously with the press.

For the good of Uruk Enterprises, listening to her unbiased and frank thoughts about what transpired during the meetings was going to be beneficial.

It did not hurt that her thoughts were usually oddly amusing to listen to as well, of course.

...

...


	27. Peculiar

…

…

...

...

Arturia ended up participating not in just those two meetings, but many more from then on. She didn't always have much input to give, but she offered her thoughts whenever she believed it was opportune. Since that seemed to be in fact what her employer – and husband – wanted, things went remarkably well.

In truth, she was somewhat surprised by how well – although a bit hectically – things were proceeding, especially considering how busy she was with all her private engagements, those including and not including the man she had married.

After their wedding at the end of June, they had started off by seeing very little of each other. It was now only the middle of September, but they were now sharing all of their meals together, going to work together, and sometimes even returning home together – and lately they saw each other _during_ work meetings as well.

What was most surprising of all, however, was the fact that it was not unpleasant. She _didn't_ dislike spending so much time with him, as strange as it sounded.

She certainly could not say she _enjoyed_ it, that was out of the question; but she did not mind it either. The relationship with the man she had married had somewhat changed, both subtly and rather radically.

There was certainly no friendship between them, although there was something close to reciprocal acceptance now. The sarcasm and the blunt remarks in their dialogues were not gone, but the unforgiving hostility from the very beginning was.

What had prompted that antagonism at the beginning had most certainly been his arrogance. Yet that had changed, and why had that happened?

Well, she herself had acknowledged the fact that there _were_ actually valid reasons for him to be arrogant, even on the day when he had reached the peak of it with that obnoxious proposal of his, making her feel disgusted at his behaviour. Even then, she had recognized that he _did_ have reasons to be as he was.

Gilgamesh was handsome, rich, successful and exceptionally good at… well… everything. It was hardly surprising that his ego and self-confidence had little restraints, if any at all.

Then _what_ exactly had changed?

She had not suddenly become blind to his arrogance; _his arrogance_ had seemingly taken a few steps back.

Such a subject needed some reflection, and possibly a brief talk with someone about it, to organize her thoughts.

Addressing her husband on the matter was not going to be useful, Arturia knew that perfectly well. Her closest confidante, Iri, did not know him enough and was still recovering from her illness while her pregnancy proceeded. Hence, Arturia's only logical decision was to talk with Enkidu.

He was friendly and nice, seemed to have taken up the role of being a sort of older brother figure to her, and on top of that, he was supposed to be Gilgamesh's best friend; who better than him could help her gain some insight?

As soon as a particularly long meeting was over, after which Gilgamesh needed to go to the airport to take a flight to Nagoya, she closed the door and approached Enkidu.

"Enkidu, do you have a few minutes?"

Curious yellow-grey stared at her and he smiled widely.

"Of course, Ria~! What made you so gloomy?"

She frowned as she sat down in front of him. _Gloomy_? She was not gloomy, at all. She took a deep but silent breath, not very comfortable about the subject she was going to tackle.

"I was wondering if you could tell me a little about… Gilgamesh's past."

The green-haired man inclined his head a little. His smile did not falter in the least.

"What would you like to know, Ria~? Do you need to blackmail him? Because I think I have some of the ~ _cutest_ ~ baby pictures…–"

She stared at him in astonishment and quickly interrupted him, "No, Enkidu, that's not what I meant–… Wait, you said _baby pictures_? Of _Gilgamesh_?" Her disbelief and incredulity grew. "And you are offering me baby pictures of your best friend so freely?"

He shook his head, disapproving.

"Ria, give me some credit! I would never hand out blackmailing material on Gil to just anyone! You're one of the only people capable of putting him in his place, therefore I know you'd use them with care!"

She raised an eyebrow.

"If I am capable of 'putting Gilgamesh in his place', as you say, then why would I need blackmailing material on him?"

Enkidu shrugged.

"I meant what I said, Ria, but there is always need for a little help sometimes~…"

Arturia didn't even attempt to stop herself from rolling her eyes. Enkidu was never going to change, was he? She sighed, almost imperceptibly.

"I'm _not_ going to ask for baby pictures of Gilgamesh."

She did have some trouble in keeping a straight face as she said that, but she heroically maintained her expression neutral and continued, "I meant to ask about his past… and his family."

Enkidu seemed to sober up at that. He scrutinized her with a sharper look in his eyes.

Suddenly realizing something, Arturia rapidly said, "But I am aware of the fact that his past and yours are very closely connected, and I wouldn't want to pry into that."

She almost felt a stab of guilt and shame for herself. She had completely disregarded Enkidu's privacy by asking him such a question, even if he did not seem to mind.

"Ria~, that's not relevant. I do wonder though… _why_ do you wish to know about Gil's past?"

The honest answer was easy to think about, much less easy to say aloud – but Arturia would not back down.

"I… would like to understand him better."

Enkidu's eyes held a strange light and, for a second, Arturia got the distinct impression that he understood far more than he let on; but the next instant, the usual mischievous glint was back, and he resumed talking with just a minimal hint of unfamiliar gravity in his voice.

"Well then… there is not that much to say. Gilgamesh's father died before he was ten; there was never a paternal figure in his life, as his father was quite absorbed by his work, but there was hardly any need for one, because there was Mother: Ninsun."

He smiled, understanding her implicit question about the way he had called Gilgamesh's mother. "I was very lucky. At a very young age, I was staying at an orphanage, and used to play outside often. That's where I met Gil; the other children were scared of him, even though he was a little less arrogant than today," – Arturia privately doubted it, but did not interrupt him – "and by the end of the day, he dragged me to his parents, demanding I go stay with them. Even as a child, he was imposing; Lugalbanda and Ninsun acquired legal guardianship of me a few days later."

Arturia returned his smile, in amazement. She had always been aware of the fact that he and Gilgamesh were very close, but she had not imagined so much.

Enkidu was now smiling more softly. He had almost no memories of the time at the orphanage before being adopted by Gilgamesh's family, but he did not mind that, because he had been very happy there.

"I kept my surname, but the Uruk household became my own. I didn't get to know Father that much, but Mother – she's always been formidable. She has always been more than just a mother, for both Gil and I. She's probably the only person he ever truly listened to… aside from me, and obviously you, of course."

Arturia gave him her most skeptical stare, as what he had just said was utter nonsense. She couldn't however utter a word, because Enkidu was giving her a wide grin.

"You see, Ria, Gil has indeed basically been _almost_ always as arrogant as you know him to be, but that's not all there is to him. I'm sure you'll agree with me that he does have reasons to be arrogant," – she had to concede on that point – "but he is not an evil person, and you know that too. I won't go as far as saying that he considers politeness to be pointless, but it is quite true that he is not very considerate of other people's feelings… except of the people he cares about."

His expression was quite the curious one, and he smirked. "It's the same with his work. He is demanding with his employees, but he is also fair: once they prove they are hard-working people, he rewards them generously. He is fiercely protective of the people he cares about – and matters he cares about as well."

Arturia stared at him, a bit wary. What a conflicting amount of information she had just received.

Enkidu stood up, smiling happily. "I have to go now, Ria… a few phone calls to the airport for tomorrow morning require my attention. Let me know if you change your mind and get interested in those baby pics~!"

With a wink, he left the room, leaving a pensive Arturia behind.

…

*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*

…

Gilgamesh was not extremely fond of the hospital, even though he was going there quite often because of his wife's relatives.

He also was not fond of the head medic, that Dirmund or something, who, while admittedly professional enough, still exchanged more than a few words with Arturia every time they met him.

Lately, the blond man was also getting irritated with his sister-in-law, Irisviel. After overhearing her conversation with the Matou nurse – and he had become fully certain of the fact that the woman had _meant_ for him to listen – he had decided that, even if the white-haired woman lacked Arturia's spirit, she occasionally managed not to bore him.

That did not mean that she was anywhere close to her sister though. From what he had seen, she had much less practical sense than Arturia; no wonder his wife had always had to be the grown-up between the two of them.

That consideration almost vexed him, and it made him conclude that Irisviel von Einzbern had better learn to stand on her own feet, and soon, because there was no way Arturia was always going to be around for her. Given her pregnancy and delicate health conditions, her relying on others was understandable to some degree, but there were limits to that. It irritated him to see Arturia always be other people's support and unable to be unburdened.

However, those considerations were distracting him too much from his work; therefore, he resolutely forced them out of his mind.

One morning, right after work, he went to his wife's office to go home with her. They had asked the Tohsaka girl to prepare lunch that day, because afterwards they were going to an art exhibition for charity purposes hosted by the Fraga McRemitz family, and Arturia then meant to accompany the cook and her younger sister Rin to the hospital, where they were going to spend the afternoon with Shirou and Iri. With much reluctance, Gilgamesh agreed to go with them by limousine.

Kariya Matou was in Irisviel's room, changing her IV as they came in, since Doctor Diarmuid had just left after finishing his visit, as he did every other day.

The grey-haired man turned to greet them with his usual gentle smile, when suddenly, his expression shocked, he stared at Sakura with wide eyes.

"A-Aoi…?"

Sakura, in instinct, picked up her sister in her arms protectively and took an abrupt step back. When she observed him carefully, however, she seemed to recognize him.

"Uncle… uncle Kariya?"

The man seemed to tremble a bit as he smiled weakly at the two girls.

"Sakura… Rin… it's been a long time." Then he looked at Sakura, bowing slightly in apology. "Forgive me for my mistake. You have a different eye and hair colour, but you look exactly like your mother. It was… quite shocking to see you appear like this."

Iri, Arturia and Gilgamesh, who had witnessed the scene, all individually reached the same conclusion: the woman Kariya had loved dearly must have been Sakura and Rin's mother – Aoi Tohsaka.

Sakura put Rin back on the floor and took a few steps closer to the man.

"It's good to see you again, Uncle Kariya." Her smile was sincere, and little Rin repeated her respectful greeting, directing however a doubtful smile to a man she had no memory of meeting, probably because she had been too young.

The purple-haired girl's voice became a little more melancholic. "Our mother Aoi is no longer alive though."

Kariya nodded. "I have recently heard about it. I am very sorry, Sakura, Rin."

Knowing that quite the long conversation was going to take place, Arturia gently grabbed her husband's arm as she nodded in her sister's direction.

"Gilgamesh and I will be going now. We are going to come pick you up later this evening, Sakura. And Rin, feel free to go to Shirou – he's in the room next to this, doing his homework."

Iri returned her nod and gave her a smile as Sakura and Kariya took two chairs to sit next to her bed.

It was going to be quite the afternoon for them, after all, since they had to reacquaint themselves and then had several years of their lives to talk about.

…

*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*

…

It was certainly going to be a peculiar afternoon for Sakura and Kariya, but it was going to be weird for Arturia, too.

As soon as they arrived at the Fraga McRemitz household, she and Gilgamesh found a chaos of fashionable clothes and people scattered around the ample outdoor park. After giving their contribution to the charity cause – which was for children's care – they were approached by the lady of the house, Mrs. Fraga. She had given birth to a healthy baby girl named Bazett merely five months before, and was proudly holding her in her arms.

She greeted them, showed off her child and then addressed Arturia directly.

"We were told that you are interested in Katsushika Hokusai's art, Mrs. Uruk. My husband and I added some of his rare prints to this exhibition for your benefit."

Arturia, surprised, thanked her with as much kindness as she could, for she had certainly not expected anything like that.

Mr. Fraga came to greet them a few seconds later and Mrs. Fraga, who very obviously did not seem to want to be in her husband's presence more than necessary, offered to show Mrs. Uruk the prints.

Before she could agree, Gilgamesh casually leaned next to her to whisper in her ear, "Don't let her fool you, Arturia. The prints are probably here merely by chance, yet they are most certainly trying to use them to gain your favour."

Catching his meaning, she met his eyes, letting him know she had understood the warning; then, leaving her husband's arm, Arturia walked over to the woman, who was still cuddling her child, and was engaged by her in small talk.

However, before she even realized how it had happened, Arturia and Mrs. Fraga met a group of high-class people who had just come back from their European fashion week.

And the next instant, Mrs. Fraga was gone, leaving her with the baby.

Arturia stared into her arms. That woman must have been completely mad. She had just dumped her child – _her_ _baby daughter_ – into her arms to go off to talk about the newest fashionable hats with those other people. From Enkidu's explanations, months before, Arturia had heard about the strangeness and, well, air-headedness of the Fraga McRemitz family, but this was beyond what she had expected, even though Enkidu had certainly never been shy in his descriptions.

What – exactly – was she supposed to do right now?

Helpless, she stared at the violet-haired baby, whose large burgundy eyes returned the stare, innocently curious. She had no clear idea on how to proceed with the child. Sure, she had a young nephew, but he was already over five years of age. The baby in her arms was that – a five-month baby.

What was she supposed to do with such a young child? She thought she knew a few things, but what was the right way to hold it? And how could she–

A cordial voice came from behind her, and she almost let out a sigh, thankful for small mercies, even though she controlled herself. It was the McRemitz matriarch, Mrs. Fraga's mother and the baby's grandmother.

"You are doing really well, Mrs. Uruk."

To Arturia's great hidden relief, she took the baby from her, cuddled it for a second and then – to her horror – shoved it right back into her arms, forcing her to catch the little girl or she would have fallen to the ground.

Arturia was flabbergasted – did this woman have no regard at all for her granddaughter's life?

Imperturbable, the elderly woman spoke again. "Just don't remain too stiff. Relax your arms, while at the same time making sure your hold is secure, especially for the head. She will appreciate it."

Not seeing any other option – since she was most certainly not going to let any harm befall the child – Arturia cautiously followed the elderly woman's instructions. And, to her great surprise, the baby's eyelids began to droop slowly as it drifted off to sleep.

The elderly woman smiled at her, knowingly.

"Very well done, Mrs. Uruk."

While she was relieved about the fact that she had not unintentionally harmed the child, Arturia was looking forward to returning the precious bundle in her arms to the woman, but the grandmother did not seem inclined to help her.

"Lull her to sleep a little more, Mrs. Uruk. It's a good practice for the future." Emerald green eyes rapidly went to her, with hidden wariness, and the woman's smile widened. "For your own children, of course."

It was with great difficulty that Arturia did not choke on her breath, but she knew she had turned pale, judging from the woman's now worried expression.

"Mrs. Uruk…? Is everything fine–?"

"Perhaps your brazenness was not welcome to her, Mrs. McRemitz," a coldly amused voice replied from behind them.

Arturia did not need to turn around to know that it was Gilgamesh. _Of course_ it was him.

She refused to look at him, and instead addressed the woman with a pleasant tone, continuing to cradle the baby. After all, she knew that all she wanted was probably pry into her life to find out about her possible pregnancy.

"It's far too early to speak about such things, Mrs. McRemitz. As for now, I am perfectly content to enjoy married life with my family as it is." She leaned forward. "Thank you for your help. You truly have a beautifully sweet granddaughter."

The elderly woman finally took back the baby, a soft expression settling on her features, quite a contrast to her previous disregard of the child's welfare, before looking up at her again.

"There is nothing wrong with expanding your family though, Mrs. Uruk."

Arturia was beginning to get slightly irritated, but she managed a polite smile. She might as well continue to be civil.

"Indeed. A close relative of mine is about to have a child – the family will be expanded, as you said."

But the woman was evidently not easily deterred, even though she had noticed, contrary to Arturia, that Gilgamesh was very much enjoying that exchange.

"You are a natural with children, Mrs. Uruk. I expect your home to be soon filled with even more babies – _yours_."

The green-eyed woman managed, with difficulty, to prevent herself from blushing at both the meaning of those words and the boldness of the elderly woman, and gave her a sufficiently calm look.

"Mrs. McRemitz, you certainly seem to be very forward."

However, to her great surprise, before she could say anything else, Gilgamesh seemed to decide that the scene had amused him enough. He took a step forward to be closer to his wife, his arm going to encircle her waist.

"I see that intrusiveness is still a dominant trait in the _McRemitz_ household."

Arturia noticed that he did not include the Fraga name in it; she knew that the young baby was the child born from the – seemingly unhappy – union of the two families.

Gilgamesh was far from finished though. "Maybe it did not occur that in other families, having children is neither a priority nor a requirement. Or perhaps it's simply inconceivable that a couple actually wishes to believe itself ready for such a task before carelessly procreating, so that the offspring will not be thoughtlessly entrusted to a random person met for the first time while the parents busy themselves with the latest news of fashion. My wife is far too patient and polite to tell you all this, but remember that even the most inexhaustible patience can reach its limit."

With an icy nod, which likely frightened the woman more than the rest of his speech, he held his wife's waist a little more tightly and guided her towards another part of the park.

As soon as they were far enough, Arturia leaned closer to him.

"Gilgamesh, _what was that?_ "

His grip around her waist tightened even more.

"I made sure our point came across. Now let us find the little amount of enjoyment there can be at this exhibition."

Deciding it was best not to insist on talking about what had just happened, Arturia therefore replied, "I have yet to see the Hokusai prints, and the rest of the exhibition is likely to be worth admiring as well."

As strange as it sounded, he seemed to relax at her words, and his arm left her waist to link with hers as they began their tour.

Gilgamesh was still trying to hide the very odd and unidentifiable emotions he had felt when he had seen Arturia cradling the little baby to her chest, because it had _truly_ been a remarkable sight. However, he would never allow her to see his reaction, and neither was he willing to return on the subject; it was good that she had not questioned him about the specific words he had chosen to say.

With great effort, he brought his thoughts under tight control again and paid more attention to their wanderings around the exhibition.

He did not seem very interested in the prints that made Arturia's eyes shine, nor did the rest of the artistic display catch his attention. One particular painting, however, managed to make him smirk.

"Arturia, I presume you may recall this one."

Millais's _Ophelia Portrait_ was going to remain in Japan for two months, and it was in fact at the exhibition. It was of course heavily protected, and Arturia stared at it in amazement.

"Beautiful," she murmured, taking in the large painting.

She knew why Gilgamesh had stopped in front of this artwork. A few months before, they had talked about literary works, and from discussing Hamlet they had come to mention the famous portrait. Staring at the drowning girl, surrounded by green grass and colourful flowers, she privately decided that, in all fairness, her husband had been right: that specific moment in Ophelia's life had been captured perfectly, in all its tragic innocence and scenic despair.

The sudden feeling of his lips next to her ear was not entirely unanticipated, as she had expected him to make some kind of comment – but she had _not_ expected his following teasing words.

"Don't you believe that, after all this time, you can finally admit that I was right?"

She held back a glare. As usual, they could not spend a moment in relative peace that he disrupted it right away.

However, she did not have the time to say anything before Mrs. Fraga appeared out of nowhere in front of them, looking frantic, and pointed a finger towards her, accusingly.

"You!" she screamed, in a voice so high that many of the guests turned to stare at her. "You took my precious baby, _my Bazett_ , and you brought her away! _Where is she!? What did you do to her!?_ "

Arturia's mood was not the best after Gilgamesh's remark, and such a baseless accusation was really testing her patience after Mrs. McRemitz had already thinned it quite a bit. She tore her eyes from the painting to stare at Mrs. Fraga, and there was so much coldness in them that the woman – who was only a few years her elder – seemed a little uncomfortable under that stern gaze.

She had not meant for things to become so public, but Mrs. Fraga had started it, and she could hardly quiet things down without making whispers start.

"It's very encouraging to see you again, Mrs. Fraga. The last I saw of you was more than an hour ago, after we had just been introduced, when you literally threw your 'precious' child into my arms before going to talk with a group of people about the latest fashion news. You didn't seem particularly concerned about your daughter's wellbeing in that moment."

Mrs. Fraga blushed scarlet at her accurate words, but Arturia was not done.

"Your daughter is safe and sound, and she is now with your own mother – Mrs. McRemitz."

She took a step forward, leaving Gilgamesh's arm for a moment as her green eyes flashed. "You have shown complete disregard for your child's life, Mrs. Fraga. Do not _ever_ make the mistake of blaming me for your own lapses in judgement again."

Arturia gave her a last, brief glare before going back to link her arm with Gilgamesh, who had an undecipherable glint in his eyes, which were firmly fixated on her face.

"I believe we are done here, Gilgamesh."

His hold on her tightened slightly.

"Indeed we are, my dear Arturia."

His blood red eyes swept over the people who were watching them, with a smirk of superiority gracing his lips. As had just been proven, he had not been exaggerating when he had told Mrs. McRemitz that even his wife's polite patience had limits.

The Uruk couple left the exhibition, while Mrs. Fraga embarrassedly went to finally retrieve her daughter.

During the car ride, Arturia briefly reflected on what had happened. She was glad that the young baby girl was fine, but she was worried about her nonetheless, because having such a careless family was not bound to make her life easy.

She had however no power to intervene to change things– oh. Perhaps…

Maybe she _did_ have the power to do something. She could denounce the Fraga McRemitz family for the thoughtless way in which they were treating their child. As she had slowly begun to realize during the past weeks, being married to a very rich and influential man who was willing to give her the money she asked could give her the power to do _good_ things.

Well then. The following morning, she was going to denounce – formally but anonymously to avoid the press – to the competent authorities the family that showed such blatant neglect of their child, to make sure that the matter was at least investigated.

There had been another unusual thing during the evening that had made her think. While Gilgamesh had been his usual arrogant self towards her when they had been on their own, enjoying teasing her and making her life more irritating, once Mrs. McRemitz had subtly tried to undermine her first and Mrs. Fraga had yelled at her later, he had immediately stopped, fully standing at her side and _with_ her.

It was probably because of the contract, yes – but that wasn't entirely it.

It was more than just a strange form of honour; it seemed like he could truly be trustable when they were in front of other people.

It seemed – it _seemed_ – that he could be trusted when they had to deal with other people _together_.

...

...


	28. Sickness

…

…

...

...

The Fraga McRemitz family had not been able to prove that they were responsible people after Arturia had anonymously denounced how carelessly they were behaving with their daughter; therefore, Mr. Fraga was given, at his own request and after proving he was sufficiently reliable, custody of the child. Mrs. Fraga and Mrs. McRemitz were allowed to see her, but not actively take care of her.

Arturia read about it in the newspapers – newspapers she knew were more or less dependable in the news they reported – and she was reassured about the fact that things for the baby would become somewhat better.

Meanwhile, at the hospital things were proceeding smoothly enough. Nurse Kariya and young Sakura had had the opportunity to talk quite a bit – and since Iri was in the same room, she had talked some too – and their conversations had been very comforting to them. They were all healing from losses, of different kinds and because of different reasons; however, the fact that they had that in common and could therefore understand each other was an unexpected help in dealing with it.

When Arturia was present, she either spent time with the two children, helping them with their homework and lessons, or she remained next to Iri while Sakura talked about her mother and Kariya gave the white-haired woman her medicines.

Iri was by now quite far along with her pregnancy, and she was also truly recovering from her illness at the same time. She had tried to stand up from the bed, and it had worked, even though she had not managed to take more than a few steps before needing to be supported again.

It was still a good start, and Arturia did her best to stifle the occasional uneasiness she felt about it. She had her fair reasons to be worried: the last time it had looked like Iri was improving, she had fallen into a coma and a deathly disease had been discovered, which wasn't exactly the favourite time of her life to remember.

She couldn't however allow herself to have such thoughts, especially in this period where it was fall and the first cases of flu were beginning to go around, even at the hospital.

Arturia was not about to let the danger of catching the flu stop her from visiting her sister and her nephew, particularly because Iri was almost eight months pregnant, and she would not let her face the last hardships of this pregnancy on her own.

One day, she visited her sister in the morning and then grabbed something to eat at the hospital's cafeteria before heading to the office, as she was expected to participate in a meeting. She had decided to take a walk to cross that distance – the number of reporters had decreased sufficiently during the past weeks – but she had been ill-prepared to face a sudden downpour. Since she did not have an umbrella, she was quickly soaked, and arrived at the offices with her hair sticking to her face – as it was beginning to fall from her usual chignon – and shaking because of her cold, wet clothes.

She was not going to let that deter her though, and rapidly made herself sufficiently presentable before heading to the place where the meeting was to be held. She was about to enter the room, when she suddenly saw the doorknob begin to float in front of her eyes.

She blinked, realizing she had wobbled on her feet slightly. She blinked again, taking a few more steps forward to pass through the entrance.

She blurrily noticed how Gilgamesh – the only person who was already present – gave her a nod in greeting, only to frown as his eyes focused on her and examined her attentively.

"You look very pale," he remarked, taking her by surprise. That was something very uncommon for him to say, as she would have expected him to comment on her soaked clothes instead.

A wave of dizziness came over her in that precise moment, and she blinked once again, forcing herself to clear her head that suddenly seemed to have become quite heavy.

"I'm fine," she said a little brusquely.

He raised an eyebrow, completely unconvinced.

"You are slowly turning grey, Arturia. You're not fine at all."

Gilgamesh had been there a little earlier because he had not had lunch with his wife; he had been looking forward to Arturia's arrival, because her presence at meetings was not only useful, but observing the slight changes in her expression when she listened to the others was entertaining as well.

However, the moment she had crossed the threshold, she had looked really pale, so much as to almost startle him. She had obviously been walking under the rain, probably having been surprised by it on her way to the offices.

She was also trying to ignore him when he was pointing out that there was something seriously wrong with her health, and that would not do. His gaze was uncharacteristically stern, and his hand went up to touch her forehead.

She slapped it away before he could reach her though, admittedly with a very weak hit of her hand – very unlike her. He frowned once more.

Again, the office blurred in front of her eyes, but she forced herself to blink.

"There is an important meeting now, Gilgamesh."

She was clearly dismissing him and reminding him of their duties, but he was not going to be dissuaded from what he had already decided.

"This meeting is cancelled," he briefly declared, his voice raising a little. One of his subordinates was entering in that moment, and he immediately nodded, leaving the room and informing the others who were coming in after him that there was not going to be a meeting that afternoon.

Turning around to face him, Arturia protested vehemently.

"Gilgamesh, you should not–"

"Would you rather be sick in front of everyone?" he asked in a low voice, interrupting her.

She was unable to find a reply, seeing everything beginning to float in front of her once again. He took it as an invitation to continue.

"You seem sick enough to empty the contents of your stomach during the meeting–"

He was about to finish the sentence, but stopped abruptly as soon as he saw her fall forward with one of her hands going to hold her forehead in pain.

He was by her side in a flash, steadying her with a firm but uncharacteristically gentle grip, feeling how drenched her clothes were. She was worse off than he had previously thought; he had never seen Arturia ill, so this situation was rather new to him.

"You are coming home with me, _right now_."

Her eyes were watery and she could not see well because everything was blurred, no matter how often she blinked and tried to clear her vision. She could no longer deny the fact that she was indeed getting seriously sick.

She still made an effort to speak though.

"Gilgamesh… I can go home on my own. Don't cancel the meeting only because I can't attend."

Once he was certain she would not lose her balance, he let go of her shoulders, where he had grasped her to steady her. He tried to meet her gaze, but he could clearly see that she was having difficulties in focusing.

" _We_ are going home, Arturia, and that's final. Come."

She was feeling too dizzy to argue with him anymore, and she found the door by sheer luck since she was really having trouble in concentrating on anything in front of her eyes.

Sheer luck was however not going to always be in her favour, and in the next room, there was Iskandar, whose booming laugh in greeting them did nothing to help her increasingly throbbing headache.

The fact that he had zero tact also played a part in worsening her conditions.

"Ah, Goldie, and the lovely Ria! But you sure look pale, young lady! Going home to rest, I assume? Well, I hope that this sickness is the prelude to a joyous event!"

The tall red-bearded man did not notice how Arturia almost choked and seemed to turn even paler, while Gilgamesh completely ignored him. Bringing his wife home was his main priority; the idiocies that came out of Iskandar's mouth could be overlooked, at least for the moment.

Yet it appeared that things would not go smoothly, because they were not able to leave before meeting Enkidu as well, who had just arrived.

"Hi Gil~, and dear Ria! You are so _adorable_ together– um, what…?"

In that moment, Arturia lost her balance completely, and Gilgamesh – whose eyes had not left her for one second – was there to promptly catch her before she fell, paying no attention to the fact that her soaked attire was now going to seep water into his clothes as well.

Without wasting any time in uselessly trying to make her regain her footing, he picked her up in his arms – feeling surprised at how light she was – and gave a glare to the people standing in his way, his best friend included.

By then, her skin had turned an unhealthy shade of green.

"She's sick, Enkidu," Gilgamesh told Enkidu, his tone low, terse and clipped, before averting his gaze to stare at her again.

The barely conscious Arturia had just enough strength to mutter, "Put me down."

Gilgamesh replied curtly, his voice loud enough only for her to hear, "Not a chance of that happening, Arturia."

With his wife in his arms, he made his way to the exit door, disregarding the stares of the few people who dared look at them for more than a second.

He made a mental note to kill his best friend when he heard his excited voice, loud and clear so that everyone else could hear it too.

"Ah~! So you'll soon have a visit from the stork bringing you one of the cutest blonde babies _ever_!"

Gilgamesh ignored the squeals he heard from the office staff, and made another mental note to give them all a very calm and serene _piece of his mind_ in the morrow, because this certainly _wasn't_ a behaviour he considered acceptable at his workplace.

But Arturia's wellbeing had to be prioritized first. He looked down at her. Her head was leaning against his chest, her eyes were closed and saying that she was pale was an understatement.

She was as stubborn as a mule though, and still opened her eyes, finally managing to meet his after a few unsuccessful attempts. Her voice was not as strong as usual, and from the way she avoided moving her head too much, it was obvious that she had a pounding headache.

"How come that, once I'm a little ill, everyone immediately thinks that I'm _pregnant_?"

Gilgamesh wanted to disagree with the statement of being 'a _little_ ill', since she was clearly _very_ ill, but merely replied with a noncommittal shrug, making sure not to move her body too much at the same time. There was no need to worsen her conditions.

She was displaying a rather amusingly appalled expression though, and although he knew that she wasn't completely in her wits, he could not stop himself from asking, "Does the idea of being pregnant revolt you so much, Arturia?"

She looked at him again, making an effort to concentrate on both staring at him and giving him a coherent answer.

"The pregnancy, I guess not really. The idea of being pregnant with _your_ child…"

Years of controlling his emotions made sure that his face did not betray the twinge he felt in his chest.

"And why would that be?"

She raised an eyebrow, clearly with some difficulty. It appeared that not being fully lucid was loosening her tongue without her being fully in control over it.

"I assume you know what is necessary to do to make a baby."

He gave her a flat look, to which she only shot him back a pointed one, a second before her eyes slid shut again.

" _That_ is what doesn't sit well with me."

To disguise the emotion he was feeling, which was annoyingly close to displeasure, he remarked, "Yet you can't blame Iskandar and everyone else for reaching that conclusion."

She snorted, her eyelids feeling too heavy to be lifted again.

"They are simply being foolish. And besides… there is no danger of that being true anyway."

With that, Gilgamesh could not argue, and he merely tightened his hold around the pale woman in his arms.

…

*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*

…

Arturia did not manage to either fall asleep or stay awake during the car ride to go home, and she remained in half-slumber throughout it. She distantly thought she heard Gilgamesh make a few phone calls, but perhaps she just imagined it.

They had been able to avoid the reporters, and Gilgamesh did not intend to meet them any time soon – at home or anywhere else – as he would have proved to them how little patience he possessed.

As he was carrying her up the stairs – for some reason, he had picked her up in his arms again once they had arrived, still uncaring of her drenched state – she opened her eyes and blurrily found his face.

"Gilgamesh, if you are bringing me to our bedroom, you should consider sleeping somewhere else. I might be contagious."

She had trouble hearing his reply because of her headache, but she still heard him answer with a simple, "I will take my chances, Arturia."

She was beginning to shiver, indicating her fever. Gilgamesh noticed and brought her to her bed, making her lie down under the covers. She immediately seemed to relax, her contracted features distending slightly.

"Can you change on your own?"

To that question, she managed to focus a little more and reply with a nasal, "Yes."

She usually folded her nightwear and put it under her pillow, so she got changed under the covers, with some difficulty and slight awkwardness; but even in her incoherent state, she was lucid enough to know that she could not keep on her wet clothes.

After separating the two beds and giving her the time to change while he looked for clothes for himself as well – he had gotten rather soaked as well, by holding her body so close – he could not stop himself from staring at her. She was really, really pale, and her hair was still wet. He had given her a towel to dry it off a bit, and while it wasn't truly enough, it was at least an improvement nonetheless.

Suddenly, her eyes opened and she reached blindly to her bedside table, obviously searching for her phone. However, she risked sliding down the bed that way; therefore, the blond man immediately interrupted her by grabbing her hand firmly.

Guessing that she wanted her phone to call her sister, he told her, "Stay in bed, Arturia. I have already called your sister as we were coming home, and I've informed her of your sickness."

Arturia began to shake her head, but stopped immediately due to the pain that that movement caused her. She closed her eyes briefly, before lifting her eyelids again, with some effort.

"Thank you for calling my sister… I meant however to call Sakura, the housekeepers and the cleaners to tell them not to come… I don't want them to get ill either." She especially did not want young Rin and little Shirou to get a fever. "I was going to suggest to Sakura to take Rin with her and go to the hospital… she and Iri get along well, and Kariya is always happy to see them."

He contemplated her for a while, before finding her phone on her bedside table and leaving it closer to her hand. If she had to take the object, she had better be able to do so without falling off the bed.

"There is no need for that, Arturia."

Even if everything was quite hazy, she furrowed her brow, trying to focus on where she could assume his face was.

"What do you mean by that, Gilgamesh? They should not become ill only because of me!"

His expression was very amused, but the look in his eyes was serious as his hand went to touch her forehead gently.

"There is no need for that because I already made the necessary arrangements with the staff, including the Tohsaka girl. And you are burning up," he concluded, leaving her side to come back a moment later with an additional, large, heavy blanket and a glass of water.

"Drink," he ordered with a tone that did not leave any room for argument. "There is fever medicament in it."

Knowing that it would have been useless to argue in her weakened state and knowing that he was actually helping her, she complied, feeling the strange taste but appreciating the cool water.

He was not done though. He disappeared from her blurred field of vision, only to reappear with a wet cloth that he put on her forehead. The relief coming from it was immediate.

"Now rest. You are not allowed to get up from this bed until you feel better."

Even through her half-lidded eyes, she could see that he was giving her a stern glare and she could hear how commanding his tone was, therefore Arturia did not find the strength to do anything more than let her eyes fall shut.

She felt strange though. What, exactly, was Gilgamesh doing? It was as if… wait…

…was he _taking care_ of her?

While the concept itself was odd, it felt even stranger to realize that it seemed to be the truth. She couldn't be entirely certain that she was in good hands at this time of sickness, but she knew that Gilgamesh would not let her be in pain if he could do anything about it.

Still, having someone actually there to care about her… was unusual, and unfamiliar. _She_ had always been the one to take care of others, not the other way round.

Not that the people in her family – Iri and Shirou – didn't love her; but they had bigger problems, therefore she had always done her best to overcome her own issues alone, so as not to burden them.

It felt really strange to have someone who was caring for her in such a manner. Particularly if she considered that, the one doing so was her _husband_.

With those thoughts keeping her tired mind occupied, she slowly drifted off to sleep.

…

*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*

…

His crimson eyes examined her sleeping face keenly.

She had quite a high fever, and from what he had seen, she was feeling dizzy and had a heavy headache. It was probably a form of influenza, but he was going to have a doctor visit her the following day to be completely certain of it.

Seeing that she was resting more or less peacefully and making sure that her phone was next to her hand, so that she could call in case she needed anything, he left the room to go prepare something to eat. He had other considerations that were swirling through his mind.

What exactly had come over him earlier in the day, at the office, when he had noticed that Arturia was unwell?

One second he had been looking at her with amusement, the next second he had been filled with _concern_. Then, without a second of hesitation, he had cancelled the meeting and brought her home, to make sure she could rest.

Such a thing was preposterous. When had this woman taken so much space for herself in his life!?

As much as he could be reluctant about having to face it, the answer was rather obvious: from the day he had married her, she had become more and more important in… well, _everything_ he did.

That was the simple reason why he had acted in such a way on this specific day.

It was true that he had to always remember to keep up the marriage charade in public, but why had that not even gone through his mind as he had taken her up in his arms? Why, when he indeed found himself having to do things to keep up appearances, did they not bother him? Why did they _no longer_ bother him?

Everything he did with her away from the eyes of the public was supposed to be a bother, and yet – it was not.

 _He did not mind spending his time with her_.

Even when she was currently sleeping in bed because of a high fever.

Even now, it was not a bother at all.

What had this woman done to him!?

…

*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*

…

The following morning, after looking over Arturia's medical record and visiting her, the doctor confirmed that it was a severe case of exhausting flu, and aside from recommending a lot of rest, left some medicines to speed up the recovery, which she warned was going to take about a week.

Arturia, who had been barely conscious during the visit, fell asleep again afterwards, but not before Gilgamesh firmly made her drink a glass of water. It was important that she did not get dehydrated.

That day, he did not go to work. He sent notice that he would be working from home, but he elaborated a little when on the phone with Enkidu, curtly letting him know that it was because Arturia was sick. He also made the effort of making another phone call to the hospital to keep his sister-in-law updated about his wife's conditions. Mr. and Mrs. Stark and the cleaners received instructions to stay at home, while the deliverers, who did the shopping, were told to buy specific food that would be suitable for Arturia's condition and helpful for her subsequent recovery.

It was only in the late afternoon, when he heard coughing coming from the bedroom as he was in his studio, that he went back there. She was blinking slowly, and while she was obviously very tired and still a long way from being healed, she was able to focus her eyes on him. Without a word, he made her drink a glass of water, and then another with the medicines the doctor had prescribed.

Her voice was quite croaky, but she addressed him anyway.

"What time is it?"

He raised an eyebrow. Was _this_ the first thing she wanted to know?

"It's six in the evening." Then he gave her a sharp glance, making a guess as to why she had asked such a question. "Are you hungry?"

She shook her head.

"Not really. My sister…?"

"I already called her. She is worried about you. The boy, the Tohsaka girls, the doctor and the nurses asked about you as well."

Arturia managed a weak smile, feeling unexpected warmth filling her chest. It felt good to know that they cared, even though she felt guilty for making them worry.

As she was lying in bed, Gilgamesh changed the wet cloth on her forehead, displeased at finding out that her temperature did not seem to have lowered.

Arturia spoke again, still too weak to focus for prolonged periods of time, but determined to say what was disquieting her.

"Gilgamesh… while it's very kind of you to do so much for me, I don't believe it's wise. If I'm contagious, you will get the flu too."

He didn't even attempt to suppress the flat look he directed at her.

"Arturia, I'm not letting you sleep in this room alone while you are ill."

When she opened her mouth to try to protest again, his eyes narrowed. "No discussion is allowed on this matter."

…

Just two hours later, as he was sitting on a chair near her, going through a report, he suddenly _sneezed_ – and Arturia actually let out a small laugh.

It was hoarse, and a coughing fit interrupted her, but she still kept laughing silently.

She _had_ warned him, after all.

...

...


	29. Thoughts

**A/N** : thank you to my friend HiddenCamellia, and thank you so much to Jolanikati for the patient editing! :D

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…

…

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...

Gilgamesh was luckier than Arturia: he got sick as well, but it was a much milder cold than hers and only ended up lasting two days.

It was still quite amusing to watch though. Once she managed to feel well enough to look around without her head hurting, she was a first-hand witness to his extreme annoyance at being sick, an annoyance heightened only by the fact that he could not direct it at anyone but himself.

It helped keep her amused during those days of sickness: seeing Gilgamesh Uruk, the most powerful man in the world, _sulking_ in his bed.

Soon enough, however, her amusement left room to some small stabs of guilt – it was because she was contagious that he had become sick – and, more importantly, to concern. She was slowly healing, while he had just gotten the beginning of the fever.

And that had only happened because he had remained there at home to take care of her, to not leave her alone while she was unwell. He had been attentive and _kind_ towards her. She was still sick, but she was feeling better than he was, therefore she insisted upon making tea for both of them, and she made sure to give him his own medicine regularly.

A couple of days earlier, there had been a few tense and rather awkward moments when, with the – valid – excuse of being her husband, he had remained in the room as the doctor had been going through her medical record and had asked her routine questions. He had therefore found out that she was on the pill – and had been for years – but he had then been respectful enough not to bring up the subject again when they were alone, strangely enough.

Arturia had, of course, always known that living so closely with him meant that some rather private matters were inevitably going to be disclosed. However, she did not intend to explain to him the inner workings of the female anatomy that had made her period so irregular as to force her to take the pill ever since she had turned twelve, and she was more than ready to carry on as if nothing had happened at all, as it seemed Gilgamesh was too.

It was after all only a minor incident, which had taken place during the short while he had spent in his bed being sick. Indeed, while the illness made him quite grumpy, after only one day of a high fever he was already feeling much better; he had however lost a lot of strength, the same as she had.

As she sat at the end of her bed distractedly reading through a magazine, she was unable to stifle a small chuckle when she looked over at him.

He gave her an odd look as he heard her make that sound, and she got up from the bed, going to him to feel his forehead.

"You almost look… _cute_ with that expression on your face as you lie here in bed like that," she explained.

He was indeed pouting in bed, and at her words, he seemed to be both astounded and annoyed. Unable to think of another way to respond to her comment, he gave her a half-hearted glare.

Seeming to realize what she had just said, Arturia felt her cheeks heating up, and most certainly not because of the fever.

Even though it hurt to stretch his facial muscles, he scoffed at her.

She mumbled something incoherent before taking a few steps back and bringing some more hot tea, acting as if nothing had happened.

Just thirty-six hours later, he was fully healed. For her, the illness seemed instead to be taking its time. She did not get sick often – in fact, she could hardly remember the last time it had happened – therefore it was as if she suddenly had to catch up with years of being in full health.

Gilgamesh forced her to remain in bed for the rest of the week, and by working from home, he ensured she was properly looked after.

…

*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*

…

However, the CEO of Uruk Enterprises could work from home only for a limited period of time before his presence became truly necessary at the office.

With some actual reluctance, Gilgamesh went back to work, but not before making sure the housekeepers came by the house at least three times a day to check on his wife. Arturia had to hold back a scowl at his exaggerated antics, especially since she was almost completely healed at this point.

In fact, two days after he had gone back to work, she woke up feeling relaxed, calm and full of energy. Since she was supposed to have the afternoon of work on that day, she went to visit her family in the morning.

Iri, little Shirou, Sakura and Rin were all very happy to see her, as were nurse Kariya and her cousin Diarmuid, as they had been very concerned about her health.

From the few words Diarmuid said, Arturia guessed he had initially suspected a pregnancy as well, but luckily for him, Diarmuid was polite and respectful enough to not inquire about something as forward as that. It also didn't take her long to see that Iri had subtly influenced her conversation with him to clear up his misconception, and Arturia was glad about it. She wouldn't have been very understanding with her cousin, if he had actually brought up the uncomfortable subject with her; Iri had foreseen that danger, and had set things straight. When she later expressed her thanks, her sister took her slightly aback by merely shrugging it off and winking at her.

After spending a delightful time at the hospital and having lunch with everyone – Shirou and Rin insisted they wanted to tell her everything they had learned during her absence – Arturia went to the office. There was quite a large amount of paperwork waiting for her, and she immediately started on it, knowing that missing more than a week meant that there was a lot of catching up to do.

Her colleagues were very warm in welcoming her back, and that was an unexpected surprise for her, but not an unpleasant one. She had not realized how much her co-workers seemed to actually look up to her.

She also noticed how no one made any comments on the possibility of a pregnancy, even though she had not forgotten their loud expressions of gushing ecstasy on the day she had gotten sick. It seemed that Gilgamesh had spoken to _everyone_ in the building to clear up the misunderstanding and to make sure that the office policy of professionalism was respected.

That was both expected and unexpected from him; more speculation about them was never unwelcome, at least usually, to increase publicity, but at the same time, these were _his_ offices, and it was obvious that he demanded a higher degree of seriousness from his employees.

The afternoon went more smoothly than she had thought, even though she could not deny that sometimes she still felt her head become heavy; to concentrate better, she finally decided to go work in the meeting room, which was empty but had a soothing atmosphere, thanks to the expert internal decoration provided by Mana Corporation.

Being one of the last people in the office, she took one of the extra keys to the room so she could make sure to lock it after her when she was done. Some time later, as she was about to complete the last pile of paperwork, she received a visit from one of the most widely grinning people she had ever met: Enkidu Eabani.

She looked up from the sheet of paper she was filling out, and gave him a glare as he sat down in front of her.

"Ria~! It's very good to see you back in full health!"

Her glare intensified. She had a few things to discuss with him, mainly regarding his behaviour on the day she had gotten ill.

"Enkidu, how nice to see you. If you recall, you made a very _uncalled-for_ comment the last time we saw each other."

The still smiling man did not attempt obliviousness, instead choosing to keep his grin in place, letting her see that he was well aware of what she was talking about.

She couldn't truly get angry at him – after all, for all his idiotic remarks, she knew that Enkidu was a reliable friend – but that did not mean that she was going to let him get away with his nonsense.

Therefore, she continued, "From other people, I could have expected it, but from _you_ …! You of all people should know what kind of arrangement Gilgamesh and I made when we got married. So why, for heaven's sake, did you suggest that I was _pregnant_ the other day?"

Enkidu could see the annoyance radiating off her in waves – much like Gilgamesh's did, he briefly thought – and held up his hands defensively.

"Hey, hey, calm down~! I may be Gil's best friend, but I don't know _everything_! I'm aware of the general matters of your marriage contract, but nothing else. And, dear Ria~," he added, suddenly smirking more, "how can you blame me for thinking you were pregnant?"

She only gave him one of her flattest looks. She usually did not like being overly blunt, but he was leaving her little choice, wasn't he? Friend he may be, but friendship did not stop him from being childish, it seemed.

"You are well aware of the fact that it's a _blanc_ marriage. I'm sure Gilgamesh must be complaining a lot about it. So _why_ did you even consider such a possibility?"

Enkidu only grinned.

"First of all, Gil doesn't usually complain – when there's something not to his liking, he _acts_. But back on topic, things between you two can always change, lovely Ria. And, in my personal opinion, should you decide to… ~ _consummate the marriage…_ ~ I'm certain your time with Gil would become so _heated_ that you'd be pregnant in no tim–… OW!"

He rubbed his arm where she had smacked him, giving Arturia a puppy-hurt look, and in that exact moment Gilgamesh entered the room.

The crimson-eyed man frowned as he saw his wife.

"Arturia. What are you doing here? You are supposed to be resting. At home."

His tone was strangely controlled, as if he was holding back his emotions with great difficulty. Which was odd, because he usually did control his emotions, but he did so effortlessly.

Was it the fact that Arturia had gone back to work in spite of not being completely healed – not completely healed in _his_ opinion – that had made him lose his usual mask?

Enkidu caught up on it immediately and rolled his eyes.

"Oh Gil, don't be such a baby~, and try to be less of a control freak!"

He was still rubbing his sore arm, and at his best friend's raised eyebrow, complained, "Believe me Gil, your wife is fully healed~… she hits hard!" He pouted slightly. "She hurt me!"

Gilgamesh's eyes briefly flickered from his pouting friend to his still incensed wife, and he smirked slightly.

"I'm quite certain that she had a valid reason to do so and that you deserved it, Enkidu."

To Arturia's surprise, Enkidu stopped caring about his injured self, his yellow-grey eyes opening much wider than usual as they flickered between them both.

A large grin blossomed on his face.

"Maybe I did, Gil… maybe I did…~"

Still with that wide, daft smile on his face, he stood up and walked out of the room. As soon as he had left, closing the door behind him, they heard a dry click.

A _click_.

Enkidu's singsong voice chanted, "I'm coming back to open the door only tomorrow, so enjoy your time together, newlyweds!"

They heard him snicker as he walked away.

Gilgamesh and Arturia looked at each other. Not breaking their gaze, he reached into his pocket and she shuffled among the pile of documents in front of her, and both took out a copy of the office key. They almost smiled at each other. Almost.

"You have a copy too?" she asked, amused.

He gave her a smirk.

"Obviously. I'm impressed that Enkidu can't fool you either."

She raised an eyebrow, uncertain about whether or not it was actually a compliment. She had kept the key on the desk after opening the door of the meeting room, while he apparently had copies of the keys of every room in the building.

He was studying her with an odd intensity in his eyes, and his gaze pensively flickered from her to the rest of the room. He had not missed the fact that she had come to complete her work in this specific meeting room, one furnished and with interior designs made by his project Mana Corporations.

She did not notice the focus of his gaze though, and shrugged.

"Let me finish this file before we get out of here – it's almost dinner time, and I would like to cook spaghetti tonight."

His eyes narrowed slightly.

"You are not fully healed, Arturia. You are not cooking anything."

She would not back down, she would not let him win, and she would not let Gilgamesh have the last word.

"Then we are going to cook together, _dear husband_."

…

*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*

…

The following day, Enkidu's expression of pure disappointment at seeing them arrive at work with the limousine and reach the meeting room together was nearly laughable.

He stared at them with his mouth hanging open, and looked like a child whose favourite toy had been taken away.

"You… you _escaped_?"

Both Gilgamesh and Arturia grinned at him, and Enkidu almost pouted.

"You two are no fun. I go through so much effort to liven up your days~, and you just spoil it!"

Arturia's expression was flat, and Gilgamesh almost sighed.

"We were expecting an _apology_ , Enkidu."

His expression was innocent – oh, _so_ innocent.

"Whatever for, Gil~?"

Arturia snapped, quickly getting annoyed, "For locking us in a room, Enkidu!"

The green-haired man only grinned.

"On the contrary, _you_ should apologize to _me_ ~! It took me quite some time to make sure that the offices were empty last night so that no one could hear you in case you wanted to be freed– OUCH!"

He rubbed his sore head. "When will you stop hitting me, Ria~?"

Her reply was stern as her eyes flashed in warning.

"Once you will start putting a filter between what you think and what comes out of your mouth – so, if I were to guess, never."

Gilgamesh looked very amused. He fully approved of Arturia's actions – in fact, he was almost enthralled.

Enkidu was an extremely friendly person, but he was also a handful to deal with, especially since his personality was a curious mix of a vast amount of exuberant and eclectic tendencies. The fact that Arturia could put up with him so well and was able to push him back whenever he crossed the line needed to be given some consideration.

He had only seen her interactions with her family and with the staff, but Enkidu was someone they could both consider a friend – and she had been herself with him too. She was not outspoken just with him, Gilgamesh; when Enkidu exaggerated with his antics, she was firm in putting him in his place as well. While she was patient and polite, she did not allow anyone to talk over her or control her.

Gilgamesh had thought, at the very beginning of their acquaintance, that perhaps she just contradicted him and talked back to him to make things more difficult for him because she detested him, and since he had come to enjoy those verbal spars, he had not minded too much.

It was now clear, however, that he had underestimated her. She had not been making an _effort_ to challenge him; it was who she was that made her behave like this. He had believed she might be going out of her way only because she disliked him, or even putting up a façade; instead, he now knew for certain that she had never stopped being herself when dealing with him.

She had an independent nature; it was therefore not surprising that his 'control freak' self – as Enkidu loved to call it – clashed with her often, especially since it was clear that it was not an act on her part.

It was strange to realize, but it was not unpleasant. His wife was as strong as she was firm, yet it was also her independence that made it possible for her to deal with the sharks of high society.

She did not like to be controlled. Neither did he.

Strange to realize that they actually had such a thing in common.

It was even stranger to realize that such a woman, who was never putting up an act when they had discussions and refused to back down, was actually a great match for him.

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Many other considerations, all concerning his wife, kept Gilgamesh's mind occupied for far more time than he cared to admit.

For several days, he kept thinking about it, and observed her more keenly than he had done in the past. There had been changes in the previous weeks, beginning from the time of the suspected cheating and through to the night they had spent together at the hotel.

Gilgamesh was, to his displeasure, quite used to light teasing, but he only tolerated it from his best friend – and Arturia _was not_ his best friend.

Her remarks had always been biting and direct, but lately, there had been a change. What she said had become more… playful, and he enjoyed the occasions in which they talked more and more, even when they talked about things that were completely inconsequential.

Her expressions were among the most fascinating things he had ever had the occasion of seeing. It had not been easy to recognize at the beginning, since she was always stern, quite serious, and never seemed happy, but it had been the gradual discovery of the small changes in her face that rendered her incredibly expressive.

To be fair – speaking of happiness – he had actually witnessed something odd just a few days before. She _never_ seemed happy, except the rare, small smiles that curved her lips when she was with her family, but when they had both been sick, she had actually let out a small _laugh_. That had never happened before.

It had not been that long since their wedding – barely five months, in fact – yet things had truly changed.

On his wedding day, he had taken a resolution. He had resolved to make an effort with his wife, to not make her miserable nor make her regret her decision to marry him.

He did not believe she was unhappy, nor did she appear to regret anything so far; but since she was unpredictable and so were all her actions, he had not managed to keep the resolution of making a true effort with her.

At least not _intentionally_.

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Arturia did not often indulge in thoughts about her husband, especially since the time they had been forced to share a bed at the hotel inauguration, but she was not blind.

She could not avoid noticing that Gilgamesh stared at her a great deal more than usual, especially after what had transpired with Enkidu. While the green-haired man had presumably learned his lesson, the blond one had taken to following her every movement – her every change of expression – with what she was forced to call an intent interest.

Not that it was something that really bothered her. Their interactions had lost their venom from not so long before, but they had not lost any of their sarcasm, and the teasing glint in his eyes whenever he addressed her wasn't gone, no matter how much he stared at her.

It was just that the mockery – or at least, what she had considered to be mockery – seemed to have completely disappeared.

Against her better judgment, she had found herself staring at him more, too. He had been more than just her caretaker during her sickness, he had actively sought to make her feel better when she was ill.

What she could conclude from all that had happened was that he had been amused by the way she had smacked Enkidu and had developed a momentary, fleeting fascination with her, nothing more than that.

Once a little time passed and he had his fill of studying her, he would be reminded of the fact that looking after her family was what mattered the most to her, and his superficial, sudden spark of interest would soon vanish and die away.

Yet… every time she repeated that conviction to herself, the thought was _not_ accompanied by a feeling of relief.

She refused to allow herself to ponder over the reasons for it.

However, that resolution was not kept easily, considering what happened only a few days later.

Towards the end of a meeting, Gilgamesh flippantly informed his employees that he was satisfied with Mana Corporations' job inside the meeting rooms, and he therefore intended to give the project more space and importance. They specialized in interior designing, and they were going to begin their vaster work by renovating _all_ the offices of Uruk Enterprises. He added that the employees were allowed to offer their input for the rooms they actually worked in.

If taken on its own, it wouldn't have been that important of a decision. Gilgamesh had constant projects around, which received his attention when they deserved it, and Mana Corporations had proved to be efficient and to work well; it was not truly surprising that he had decided to expand it while immediately taking advantage of it at the same time.

What _was_ important and surprising, in Arturia's opinion, was the fact that, among the first offices that were renovated and whose style was changed in order to be suitable for the employees, there was her own.

She recalled how he had seen her work in the meeting room, and she had to seriously wonder if he had gotten the idea of changing the entire offices because of that.

Gilgamesh couldn't care less about interior designing; he had a surprisingly keen eye for it, but he had never shown to be interested in it, and that was something that made his decision even stranger. Could it truly be that he had noticed how a more suitable design could help the employees concentrate more?

Arturia finally decided that she was truly giving too much thought to something that did not deserve it.

After all, trying to figure out her husband was an impossible feat.

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Sakura always prepared breakfast before going to accompany Rin to school, but she asked one specific morning free to take her sister to a pediatric appointment for the yearly check. Arturia granted her request, and set her alarm clock a bit earlier than usual to have the time to cook herself.

She was therefore mildly surprised when Gilgamesh got up at her same time and deigned to help her, peeling some fruit while she toasted bread and took out butter and jam.

Seeing him busying himself in working in the kitchen with her, she could not help a remark on her part.

"Food really brings out the best of you, Gilgamesh."

He sent a mild glare in her direction.

"Not in you apparently."

She responded with a half-hearted glare of her own, before taking the toast to the table.

In that moment, her mobile phone rang. It was still in the bedroom, and they heard it from the kitchen only because there was no one else in the quiet house.

Frowning, and feeling a strange apprehension filling her, Arturia put down the food and quickly went to retrieve her phone. When she saw that it was the hospital's number, the dread that had been dormant inside her for the past few months came violently back to life.

Firmly, she pushed the button to answer.

"Mrs. Ria? It's Kariya."

Kariya had taken up to calling her that after Sakura's example, and if he was giving her a phone call, it had to mean that it was important.

Swallowing briefly and stifling her fear, Arturia replied, "Yes? What happened?"

"Irisviel has gone into labour."

It was more than two weeks before the estimated due date. It was unexpected and not a good sign, especially because of Iri's still weakened body.

Tone clipped, Arturia managed to get out, "I will be there as soon as possible. Thank you, Kariya."

She closed the communication and turned around… to find Gilgamesh standing behind her with her coat in hand, staring at her in a way that told her that he had not overheard but had guessed that the situation was serious. Her face was also more expressive than she realized, and for a man who had been living with her for months – and studying her face in the last few weeks – it wasn't hard to see that she was close to panicking.

Under normal circumstances, she would have noticed how uncharacteristic it was: not the fact that he was able to read her face, but the fact that he was instantly ready to do something about the situation.

Yet right now, she was much too preoccupied with other thoughts.

"My sister is in labour," was all she said to inform him, but she did not need to elaborate.

He nodded, guiding her out of the house. To her mild surprise – she was too worried to pay any real attention to it – they did not take the limousine, but one of his own cars, and he went to drive.

He shook his head at her unspoken question, letting her know that he would not answer, and they spent the quick car ride to the hospital in complete silence, their breakfast remaining forgotten on the kitchen counter.

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	30. Hospital, part 1

**A/N** : this (and the next) were two of my favourite chapters to write for this fic. The last part of this chapter is in Arturia's POV; at the beginning of the next one, the same scene will be in Gilgamesh's POV. Thank you so much to Jolanikati for the beta work :D

Warning for some medical descriptions and some serious angst…

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Doctor Diarmuid himself explained to Arturia what the situation was.

He was more serious than she had ever seen him as he told her that Irisviel had woken up to tremendous abdominal pains. Through the ultrasound that had immediately been issued, they had noticed that the baby's heartbeat had suddenly increased and its more erratic movements had become extremely painful – and they had made Irisviel pass out from the throbbing ache.

She was still unconscious, but her water had broken and she had gone into labour, therefore he and the other medics were trying to induce the birth artificially. However, they needed her permission for that, especially because they could not give any painkillers to Irisviel, since she was still not fully cured from her illness.

Only one person was allowed to be with Iri; after making her nephew, Shirou, remain in his own room – she explained to him briefly that his mother was going to give birth – Arturia could accompany her unconscious sister to the operating room.

She had briefly seen a highly displeased Gilgamesh relaying her request to the nurses to keep an eye on the boy, but then she had seen no more of him; he had probably gone to work.

She knew that both Iri and the baby's conditions were precarious, and she knew she needed to stay calm and collected to deal with the entire situation. Knowing her nephew, Arturia was certain that he was going to worry for quite some time, and would most likely not rest at all. There was unfortunately little she could do to change that; Shirou could not be in the birthing room, yet at the same time she could not lie to him and tell him that everything was fine when it obviously wasn't.

Once again, Irisviel von Einzbern's life was on the line.

Labour had started too early, and if Iri didn't wake up and actively help give birth, the baby was going to die suffocated, while Iri herself would bleed out. Diarmuid did not try to hide that very likely outcome from Arturia while he explained everything. There was the possibility of a caesarean section, but given Irisviel's already unstable conditions and already very weak body, it was best to leave that as the last option.

The baby's heartbeat had stabilized a little, therefore the nurses tried to slowly begin to wake up Irisviel. Kariya warned Arturia that she was going to be in a very intense pain, and therefore she could be delirious.

To everyone's relief, Iri slowly seemed to get out from her drowsiness without too much difficulty. Arturia was by her side and softly called her name until she was fully awake. Iri was lucid enough to coherently answer the doctors' questions about the pain she was feeling, which had decreased, and then she was left alone with her sister, Kariya being the last to leave the room with a worried glance. Labour could take several hours, and that meant that they could do nothing but wait.

Iri was still not allowed to take more than light painkillers because of her illness, and that meant that she remained in pain as contractions began to run through her body throughout the following hours. She reached for her sister's hand, and Arturia let her hold it, never letting go for a second and squeezing it back.

As hours passed, the blonde woman felt her inner panic increase, because the medics had not painted a pretty picture of the situation.

Iri was not well, at all, and she was risking her life.

Did that mean that all these months, with the chaos, with the press, and with Gilgamesh, had been for naught? Were her sister and her unborn baby going to _die_ without her being able to do anything to prevent it?

Was it all going to crumble around her, after the time and effort that had been needed to _get to this point_ _?_

Quickly reigning in her emotions, Arturia closed her heart to such thoughts. Iri had been crying silently because of the pain and was trying to talk to her; she could not afford to get distracted.

"Ria," her dark red eyes were full of desperate tears, "I'm so scared…"

"Iri," Arturia gripped her hand firmly. "I'm here with you. I'm here with you, Iri."

A few tears began to fall. "Ria, I'm so afraid… that I won't make it… I _can't_ make it…"

In her grief, Arturia had almost forgotten that Iri was now fully conscious and shared those same fears she had. The thought made new strength surge through her.

She would not let her sister give up on herself.

Not if she could help it.

Arturia's voice was strong, firm and soothing as she spoke again, her eyes trained on her sister's as she continued to have a firm grip on her hand.

"Yes, you _can_ , Iri. You can make it through this."

There was confidence and certainty in every syllable she uttered, making Iri smile through her small hiccups as another wave of pain coursed through her body.

"I'm not scared for Shirou, you know… Because there is _you_ , Ria… You have always been there, even when I didn't know I needed you, yet you were always here when I looked for you…" A gasp as pain assaulted her once again. "And I know you will take care of Shirou if I don't make it, because you have been a better mother to him than I ever will be–"

"Iri…" Arturia's voice was still firm, but there was a definite hint of uncertainty about it now, as if she did not know how to stop her sister from saying such things.

The tears were streaming down Iri's cheeks, unrestrained.

"I love you, Ria, I don't know if I told you enough times, but if I didn't, I should have… my brave little sister who was always the grow-up between us two… how would I have ever…" she took a sharp intake of breath as contractions made her body quiver, "…managed to get to this point without you? You've always been so strong, Ria…"

Fresh tears gathered in her eyes as she smiled at Arturia. "I admire you so much, Ria. Mother and Father…" she hissed weakly, in extreme pain, "…were both so proud of you…"

She sobbed, so lost in pain that she didn't care about holding herself together anymore. "I miss them, Ria… I want them here with us… And Kiritsugu…" The spasm that shook her was more violent than the others, and Arturia knew it wasn't just because of physical pain. "…my wonderful, beloved Kiritsugu… he left, like Mother and Father… they all _left_ …"

She was shivering and sobbing, tears making her face, neck and upper chest completely wet. "They're all gone, and now… now…"

"Now there is us," Arturia said, quietly.

She had tried not to interrupt her until this moment, knowing that Iri needed to get things off her chest, but she could no longer keep silent. She knew that the pain was making Iri delirious, and she knew that she was beginning to lose herself in her sorrow – but she was not going to allow it.

She squeezed her sister's hand firmly. "Now there's _us_ , Iri. With Shirou, and with your baby. And there is Kariya, and Sakura, and Rin. And, I guess my husband too, but you can overlook him, if you want." She knew Iri was still very suspicious of him.

A weak laugh left Iri's lungs, only to be replaced by a cry of pain. The contractions were increasing, meaning that the time of birth was nearing.

"Ria… I have been such a _failure_ as your sister…"

Arturia stared at her, taken aback by the self-loathing she could feel in Iri's tone.

Iri continued to cry. "You have sacrificed _everything_ in your life, and you've married that man, just because I wasn't able to stand on my own feet… because I wasn't able to make the right decisions… because I kept burdening you with my selfish choices and my _stupidity_ and–"

" _Iri_ , stop it," Arturia's voice was as sharp as a razor. Her emerald green eyes were aflame as they were fixed on her dark red ones. " _Stop_ saying these things."

Iri's eyes, half-lidded as they were, flashed.

"But they are _true_ , Ria." Her tears were starting to flow once again. "I won't make it today, I need to say these things before dying and–"

"Iri… Irisviel… _Irisviel_ , listen to me," Arturia interjected, firmly staring at her and holding her gaze. " _Listen to me_. You _are_ going to make it today. For Shirou and for your baby, and for Kiritsugu and for Mother and Father, and for me, but most of all _for yourself_ , you are going to make it. Do you hear me? I will not allow you to give up _now_ , not after all that has happened."

She could not let her voice break in this precise moment, so she stopped for a second to make sure she could hold herself together long enough. "This is the last huge step, and also the first… to be part of the life of your second child. You are not allowed to miss your second baby's first day, nor any day from now on, nor are you allowed to miss any day of Shirou's life. Is this clear?"

Iri only stared mutely, wide-eyed and forgetting her tears, taken aback by her sister's firm statement.

But Arturia wasn't finished.

"And, Iri… about the matter of my marriage… Do remember that it was _my_ choice. Not yours, and therefore _not_ your responsibility."

She paused a second, trying to find the right words. "Iri, the choices I make… are mine. Not anyone else's. I don't ask you to approve of them, nor to accept them… but they are part of and define _my_ life. Don't feel responsible for them, please."

She took a deep breath, and her eyes were as alight as blazing fires. "I have not made choices I regret – _yet_. But allowing my sister to give up on herself on the day of her child's birth is a choice I would regret, and I will _not_ make that choice today."

Iri smiled through the tears, a strange feeling of warmth filling her at those words.

"…thank you, Ria."

She closed her eyes as she inhaled deeply, slowly, doing her best to stop the hiccups, before opening them again. "I wish… I wish I was like you, Ria. Always so strong…"

Arturia smiled back at her. "You _are_ strong, Iri. You don't need to be anything like me, you don't need to wish for anything like that. You already are the person you need to be to make it through today… and you _know_ it. You are Shirou's mother and you are my sister… but most of all, you are _Irisviel_ , and you _have_ the strength you need. You know that you do, Iri… _you know it_ …!"

Iri's eyes were screwed shut in absolute pain, yet she did not let go of her sister's hand, pulling at it with what little physical strength she had left.

In a whisper, she murmured through clenched teeth, ignoring the pain, "Ria… you're right… perhaps I can do this… but please…" barely, just barely, she managed to lift her eyelids and find her sister's brilliant green gaze, anxiously focused on her face, "stay with me… or… once it's over… I'll never believe… this whole thing… actually happened…"

A wordless scream left her sister's lungs and pierced the air. The nurses came rushing into the room, Kariya leading them, more worry on his face than Arturia could ever recall seeing in his expression. The difficult birth was clearly approaching, and one of them quickly went to alert the doctors.

There was no time to waste…

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ARTURIA

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Arturia exited the hospital room, feeling numb and dazed. She leaned against a wall. Her sister's iron-grip had left a mark on her hand and her terrible screams still reverberated in her ears – even now that everything was over.

Iri was safe. She had survived childbirth. She had given birth to a healthy, beautiful baby identical to her. A little girl. Both were out of danger, after such a long labour and period of suffering.

Shirou was well. The doctors and nurses had called him inside the room after the birth, and he was asleep in his mother's arms, on her bed, while his little sister was in the cradle.

 _They were all safe_.

There was nothing to fear. They were well.

Arturia took a deep breath. And then another.

Her body was still rigid because of the stress and the terror that had taken residence in her for the past hours – no, for the past weeks, or even months.

But it was over. Iri's sickness had been overcome. Her baby was fine. Shirou was fine.

 _Her family was fine_.

All these months… had been worth it.

A violent shudder ran through her. She abruptly stood away from the wall and looked around quickly, her eyes dazed. She needed to be alone. She needed some time on her own, to be just with her thoughts, to just… what? Perhaps to just let the stress go. To be on her own, for just a brief while… to recover from the deep scare of those past months…

But obviously, it would not be that easy. She was Arturia Pendragon – no. She was Arturia _Uruk_ now; if something could go wrong, it did, at least when she was involved.

A hand was, quite gently, posed on her hip, and she found herself looking into very familiar blood red eyes. But she was not seeing him – not really. She was not really present in this moment. And she did not have the energy to tolerate her husband. Not right now.

She didn't even have the energy to wonder about his presence, when the last she had seen of him had been early in the morning, when they had skipped breakfast to go to the hospital in a hurry.

She looked away. She wanted to be alone.

Taking her by surprise, his hand left her hip to grab her under her chin – gently once again – and turn her head towards him. But she roughly broke free from his grasp.

She would not be patient with him. Not… not right now. She did not have the patience for him.

She made a motion to leave, but his arm came around her waist and firmly escorted her to a small, nearby room. It was probably a place where supplies were stocked, since it was dark and filled with many box-like objects. Arturia was surprised that she even noticed such a thing, considering how drained and tired she felt.

She leaned against a wall again, closing her eyes. She hoped, she firmly hoped, that he would take the hint and leave.

She. Wanted. To. Be. _Alone_.

There was silence in the room, but he did not leave. So she made an effort, in order to tell him.

"Would you leave me alone, please?"

She could feel his eyes on her.

"No."

His answer was simple – but it did not leave any room for argument.

She tried again.

"Please. Only a few minutes. I want to be alone."

But he was not deterred. "Not in the mental state you're in now– No, I will not leave you alone."

Arturia was more than simply tired, she was exhausted; however, that did not stop the surge of anger from running through her veins.

This arrogant, conceited _jerk_ … she could already feel the tears prickling at the corner of her eyes. She slammed them shut again to stop them from falling, but also to avoid looking at him.

She knew she was on the verge of collapsing – and she needed to be alone for such a thing. There was _no way_ she would break down in front of this… this…

…this man whom she had agreed to marry and shared a bedroom and a house with, who took care of her when she was sick, shielded her from the dangers of the high-class society without patronizing her, provided her with the money necessary for Iri's safety and…

No! Those thoughts had to _stop_!

She took a deep breath, and forced herself to open her eyes and look at him. She did not bother trying to school her features into anything similar to calmness. He might as well see how incoherent she was feeling… perhaps it would finally make him _go away_ …!

"Leave. Me. Alone." Every syllable was emphasized with her voice, since it was breaking–

No. She could not break now. She needed to hold herself together… just long enough for him to leave… as soon as he left, she could let her guard down completely and…

But he was not leaving. Why was this insensitive man _not leaving_ _!?_

He continued to just stare at her. Impassively. He truly didn't have a heart, did he…?

She could feel the lump in her throat, ready to explode – she could not hold out for much longer…

She blinked determinedly. She _would_. She would manage to steel herself. To control the foolish, weak part of her that was about to fall apart–

With an unexpected movement, he brought a hand up to caress her face. Instinctively, she slapped it away.

"Don't touch me!"

Her voice was shrill and sharp. Inwardly, she took notice of her lack of control over her emotions and disapproved of it, but that feeling was weak compared to the ones that were about to take over.

Her inner conflict did not allow her to notice that he was beginning to get angry. That was because, even after all this time…

His words would have been more than enough as explanation, had she been lucid enough to fully absorb their meaning.

"I am your husband, Arturia, and you still don't trust me…!"

She did not ponder over what he had said.

"I don't care! Being bound by a soulless marriage contract doesn't mean you have the right to touch me!"

He got closer and put both his hands on her cheeks, quieting her protests – and interrupting her mental struggle, with his firm voice breaking through her tormented thoughts.

"You know that I did not mean any offense to you, and all I wanted was to give you some comfort, you stubborn, distrusting woman!"

In a sudden gesture, he leaned down to kiss her lips fiercely, making her eyes widen in shock and anger.

"Is this contact, this _human_ contact, so disgusting for you? Is it distasteful for you to have someone trying to comfort you without intending you any harm?" His eyes, still so close to her face since he had pulled away only slightly after kissing her, narrowed at her. "Is this so bad, Arturia?"

His voice was still firm but, all of a sudden, there was a gentler side to it. His thumbs caressed her cheeks softly, and finally, something inside her just broke.

Iri, Kiritsugu, Shirou, the little baby, the new job, the moving, the marriage, her parents… everything that had happened in the past few years jumbled up in her head, she just could not take it anymore, and let it all out.

First came the tears, or rather, the waterfalls running down not only her cheeks but also his hands – because they had not released her – and he held her face even as her eyes melted in front of him.

Then there were dry sobs, heart-wrenching sounds she hadn't even known she was capable of producing, which filled the tiny room with all her feelings of misery, sadness, hurt, but also _relief_ , that endless sensation of relief she could finally abandon herself to, as she let everything that had happened finally overwhelm her…

…for perhaps the very first time in her life.

She had not cried when her parents had died. She had not cried when her brother-in-law had died and had thrown Iri and Shirou into depression and without any means to support themselves. She had not cried when her sister had been at death's door. She had not cried when she had realized the magnitude of what she had decided to sacrifice with her wedding. But in this moment… she _did_ cry.

Because it was over.

Through that complete breakdown, she did not miss it. She did not truly fail to notice how Gilgamesh stayed there with her, in this little, inconsequential room in the hospital, and held her wordlessly as she presented the worst side of herself and cried out all her tears.

This broken moment she just could not avoid, the moment in which she just needed to cry, to let every second of stress and worry and desperation leave her because things were finally _fine_ …

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She knew weeping people were not a pretty sight, and while she personally did not care about looks, she was aware of the fact that Gilgamesh was different.

That late evening, in that small room, she clung to him for dear life, sobbing into his chest and getting his clothes completely wet. And he let her – he let her and held her body close to him, his arms firmly remaining around her the whole time.

Later, she followed him silently to the car, eyes completely dry after having poured out everything they had, and body feeling numb and drained. She could not remember the details of the rest of the evening.

She must have fallen asleep during the brief car ride, but she had later woken up in her bed, with a bottle of water on her bedside table. He must have carried her there. She had memories of having dreamt it, as strange as it sounded.

The last thing she did remember before falling asleep again was a brief, impossibly brief, conversation.

"Gilgamesh."

She had waited for him to look at her from his own bed, where he had sat down.

"Thank you."

She had been too tired to say anything more than that, but she knew that she had refused to allow herself to fall asleep before saying _something_ to him.

It was the least she could do – the least she could do for all he had done for her was thank him.

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	31. Hospital, part 2

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GILGAMESH

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Gilgamesh waited the whole day in that hospital corridor. He did not have much to complain about the place – it was as high class as he demanded it to be; he had chosen it, after all – but the wait was long and tense nonetheless.

Sporadically, one of the doctors or nurses came by to give him updates on the situation of the woman inside the room. Arturia's cousin showed up a few times, but nurse Kariya was mainly the one to inform him about what was going on, lines of worry creasing his features. The news was not positive most of the time.

Finally, when the day was almost over, the door opened, and an incredibly pale and obviously tired Arturia came out. She didn't even seem to notice him – granted, he was standing next to the window because he couldn't just be sitting for the whole day and therefore his presence wasn't obvious at a first glance to the corridor – and she leaned heavily against a wall, her eyes closed.

Her position allowed Gilgamesh to observe her keenly, and he did not like what he saw.

Her skin's colour was exceptionally close to white, her eyelids were falling and she was visibly exhausted. Her hair was a mess and she obviously needed sleep.

And yet, in spite of that, she still looked like the Arturia he knew and respected… the woman he had chosen as a wife and, with her consent, had later married.

Firmly pushing those thoughts aside as he saw her shudder and stand away from the wall, his arm moved without his permission to pose itself on her hip. He meant to guide her away from there, to take her home now that her sister and nephew and niece – he had been informed that it was a girl – were fine…

She was avoiding his gaze. He only had the time to see how bleary her eyes were, before she tried to shut him out once again. He gently took her chin to meet those familiar green eyes that greeted him every morning, and which always found a reason to glare at him.

He did not like how _dead_ they looked in this moment.

He didn't have the time to examine her further though, because she brusquely turned her head.

He ignored her attempt at getting away from him. He had not missed the slight trembling of her form and the overall fragile state of her mind and body.

She was on the verge of collapsing. She needed to be able to do that, but not there in the corridor. Better at home, but she would probably not last that long… she needed–

His eyes scanning the place hastily, he quickly spotted an inconspicuous door not too far away, with a panel on it reading 'Supplies', and moved them towards it. It was by no means adequate, but it would have to do; she was too consumed at the moment to go anywhere else.

She obviously did not have the energy to protest or oppose him – and, in this occasion, it was fine. Just this once though.

Inside the small room, she seemed to completely forget his existence to lean against the wall again, her eyes drifting shut. He just stared at her, taking in her slumped shoulders, the dark shadows underneath her closed eyes, her paleness…

The silence did not last for long. With an obvious effort, she spoke.

"Would you leave me alone, please?"

He narrowed his eyes. Like hell, he would. She was in no condition to be alone. She was about to break down.

"No."

She had enough strength to even try to insist, the stubborn woman.

"Please. Only a few minutes. I want to be alone."

He acknowledged her effort, but he would not budge.

"Not in the mental state you're in now– No, I will not leave you alone."

For some reason, his denying her wishes – no matter how foolish they were – made her find some more energy in the form of anger. She closed her eyes again, breathing in deeply, as if she was readying herself, and he narrowed his own eyes.

Why was this woman so stubborn? Why could she not be concerned about _her own_ wellbeing, for once?

He was taken aback when she opened her eyes to look at him – or rather, _glare_ at him. Her gaze was firmer than he had expected, but she could not make the obvious signs of her tiredness just vanish. She had not eaten since the evening before, and she was most likely depleted – that was not something she could hide.

Neither could she hide the slightly wild expression she had; she was truly near an edge, a dangerous edge.

"Leave. Me. Alone."

Her voice trembled a little, and he knew that she was making an effort not to let it break.

Concern filled him. Arturia was rapidly losing coherence. He could see it clearly – she was spent, and drained, and weak, and tired.

Wait. Were her eyes, still with that angry look, _glistening_ …?

Oh no. Were those… tears? Was she about to cry?

He could not stand crying people. It was something he found incredibly annoying and childish, and he tended to turn and disdainfully run the other way in distaste if anyone ever happened to weep in his vicinity.

But, for some reason, he did not feel any desire to run… nor to leave.

Because he _understood_.

Arturia was not about to cry because she was childish, nor was she about to cry to make him leave or to annoy him. She was about to cry because she was a strong woman, she had been strong _until_ now, but she simply could not hold everything inside anymore.

She would not cry _during_ times of crisis; but since the crisis was over and everything was fine, what had kept her going throughout that period of time was gone, too. Now that her family was well, she was so incredibly tired… and about to collapse in tears.

And she felt _ashamed_ of it. She wanted to be alone in order to break down, she didn't want anyone to see her.

Including him.

Such a prideful, determined, _stubborn_ woman.

Almost unconsciously, he took a step forward and his hand went up to cup her face.

He should have expected her reaction. She slapped him away before he could reach her.

"Don't touch me!"

His eyes narrowed dangerously. Her voice had gone up a full octave, and she was obviously angry… but he was becoming angry as well.

He was her _husband_ , not a random stranger or a harasser! He meant her no _harm_! His words betrayed his thoughts, but he could see that she didn't really catch what he meant.

"I am your husband, Arturia, and you still don't trust me…!"

"I don't care! Being bound by a soulless marriage contract does not mean you have the right to touch me!"

His fury grew. He meant her no harm – he wanted to _help_ her! Couldn't she see it? Couldn't she _see_ it!?

Touching her cheek with one hand had not worked – then _both_ hands would probably be better.

Her cheeks were very warm, and she did not attempt to truly struggle as he pulled her closer. She finally seemed to be brought to the present as his eyes bore into her soul, and she focused on him.

"You know that I did not mean any offense to you, and all I wanted was to give you some comfort, you stubborn, distrusting woman!"

Again, he had let his thoughts be brought into words directly. And seeing her eyes concentrated on him, drinking in his every word as if her life depended on each syllable… he couldn't stop himself, and he leaned down to brush his lips against hers.

No, he did not brush them – he smashed them together fiercely, but just for an instant.

He had not planned it, he had not decided it beforehand, he just… did it.

Pulling back, he saw that her eyes had gone wide in shock, and probably some anger as well.

Never mind – he certainly had her full attention now.

"Is this contact, this _human_ contact, so disgusting for you? Is it distasteful for you to have someone trying to comfort you without intending you any harm?"

Perhaps kissing her had been too much though. He could not prevent himself from asking, in a gentler voice, "Is this so bad, Arturia?"

For some reason, his words seemed to unleash something.

And when Arturia Uruk's eyes closed and the tears began to flow down her cheeks, accompanied by excruciatingly hollow sobs, Gilgamesh held her to him, wordlessly, as she finally broke down in his arms.

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He knew that she was going to despise herself for showing what she considered a weakness; therefore, he deemed it wise not to add a word as he drove them home, after she had cried all her tears onto his shirt. Unsurprisingly, she fell asleep during the car ride, and only woke up once he put her on the bed – because he had carried her there, of course.

And this had happened even though he had to admit that he still had to find a coherent explanation as to why he was willingly – _willingly_ , because no one was asking him to – spending so much time and effort around his wife.

His wife. _His_ Arturia.

 _His Arturia_.

Oh.

The answer was _right_ _there_.

It had _always_ been there. Enkidu had pointed it out to him a few months before, but he had probably just been jesting – his best friend had not believed it himself.

Now, however…

He did not have the time to properly analyse what he had just realized though, because he heard Arturia's voice.

"Gilgamesh."

Her tone was thick and she was already half-asleep. He turned to stare at her, again not missing how drained she looked.

Her eyes were sharp on him however. "Thank you."

There was honesty in her eyes, honest gratitude, and for once, he was at a loss for words.

How could he reply to a person genuinely thanking him for having done something he had not _had_ to do, but had _wanted_ to do?

He was spared the difficulty of finding an adequate answer by her closing her eyes and quickly falling back asleep. She was truly exhausted.

Gilgamesh had had two meals during the day, at the hospital, but he knew that Arturia hadn't. The Tohsaka girl was going to come the following morning, and he needed to have a word with her to make sure she prepared a very abundant breakfast.

As soon as he had made the phone call and explained in no-uncertain terms that he expected her to cook a hearty meal and have it ready in the morning, he looked back towards his wife.

He could not attempt to deny reality, yet he could not wrap his mind around it.

What was it about her that captivated him so? What was this _something_ that he couldn't even put into words? Something he had not even known he was capable of giving to anyone, let alone _her_?

Well. It was _Arturia_. She had always been special, hadn't she?

Otherwise, he wouldn't have married her in the first place.

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MAIN

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The next morning, Arturia thanked a trembling Sakura with an appreciative smile for the generous breakfast she had prepared. She did not miss the apprehensive glance the girl sent in her husband's direction before he left to go take a shower.

Because of that, it didn't take her long to guess that Gilgamesh had been the one to order Sakura to cook more for this morning – knowing perfectly well that she had not had anything to eat for a full day – and that realization was one that had to be added to the several things that puzzled her about her husband.

The day before, she had had a complete and utter breakdown – something she had never had before in her life – for she had never cried and released all her repressed emotions like that.

Yet Gilgamesh did not seem to scorn her for it, nor did he seem to pity her, as she would have expected from him. He had remained with her the entire time she had been crying – she must have made a mess of his shirt, now that she thought about it – and he had actually _comforted_ her.

Not only had he comforted her, he had done something as unexpected as kissing her, for no other reason than to make sure she focused on him and did not lose herself. No one else had been present, therefore it had most certainly not been for appearance's sake.

They had been in a place hardly larger than a broom closet; yet he had still kissed her, simply to force her to remain anchored to reality as she had been about to collapse.

Keeping her company as she cried foolishly, bringing her home in her exhausted state, making sure she found a proper meal once she woke up…

…and that was not all. He had even been tactful enough to not bring up what had happened the day before; he had not mocked her about the sad display she had offered, as she had half-expected him to do.

Well then. There was an easy decision to make.

Since he was being strangely polite in not bringing it up, she could have decided not to bring it up either. After all, what had happened the previous day was an isolated incident and it was not going to happen ever again.

All the same…

As soon as Sakura left – she was going to come back later in the afternoon to cook dinner – Arturia cleared her throat, with some awkwardness.

"Gilgamesh," she began, her voice steady and unwavering, yet finding it impossible to look at him, she opted for concentrating on her food instead. "Thank you for the kindness and understanding you showed towards me yesterday, when I… when I broke down at the hospital."

She could feel his eyes piercing her, and she finally decided she had to stop being a coward and had to meet his gaze. However, as soon as she did so, he looked away from her rather quickly, focusing on the newspaper instead.

"You already thanked me last night," he briefly replied, his tone completely neutral and not allowing her to discern anything from it.

It was something extremely odd for him to say; she would have rather expected him to act smug and proud.

Nevertheless, she wasn't going to be deterred from her objective, and insisted, "I'm aware of that, but I have to admit that I wasn't completely in my wits last night. I am grateful for how you behaved and how you… put up with my pitiful display."

She kept her green eyes firmly on him as she uttered those words, and he looked up from the newspaper halfway through them to meet her gaze and hold it with an inscrutable emotion in his crimson orbs. She struggled inwardly to keep her expression passably normal.

He calmly stated, with the same tone he would have used to comment the colour of her clothes, "Calling it pitiful is your definition alone, not mine. I saw it as something you should have allowed yourself to do a very long time ago. You keep your emotions too bottled up for your own good, Arturia; it was high time for you to realize that there is nothing wrong in expressing them sometimes."

Her mouth would have dropped open in shock if she hadn't already been fighting to keep her composure.

He smirked before standing up and walking out of the room.

"While it's unnecessary, I accept the renewal of your thanks nonetheless."

Arturia stared after him for a speechless second, before having to hold herself back from shaking her head. Her husband was an undecipherable, impossible man…!

He was such an enigmatic person that guessing his thoughts was hard, but since he obviously considered the subject closed, she did not intend to insist on it any longer. Recalling her behaviour caused her no small amount of mortification; it was therefore very welcome to her to be able to consider this entire matter settled.

She should be more concentrated on her family, instead of her husband. In spite of the fact that her husband was _supposed_ to be a member of her family, the circumstances of their marriage were making things different. But it wasn't the time to dwell on that _again_.

Back to more important matters: she had a niece now. Iri had given birth to a beautiful baby girl, and she had not had the time to choose her name yet. A small smile appeared on Arturia's lips. She was really looking forward to being with Iri, Shirou and the young child again – it was probably going to be a very special day.

She knew that she did not need to worry about work. In the contract, it was clearly stated that her family came before anything else; all the same, it would still be more correct if she at least _told_ her employer that she was not going to work.

He was putting on his tie, and he looked at her through the mirror as she entered the bedroom.

She cleared her throat once again, but this time silently, suddenly feeling inexplicably apprehensive about it.

"I won't be going to work today, Gilgamesh. I'll go to the hospital, to my sister."

He actually seemed to have expected her words, and gave her a small smirk.

"So will I, Arturia."

She stared at him, before blinking briefly. Was she still asleep or something?

He rolled his eyes. "No, you're not asleep. Get ready. I'll be taking some paperwork that you will need to go through as well."

She narrowed her eyes a fraction, both at his imperious tone and the words themselves. Did he mean to take work with him at the hospital? Was he out of his mind?

The teasing glint in his eyes was not gone, telling her that he was perfectly aware of what she was thinking in this moment, and yet he did not seem bothered by it in the least.

"The limousine is waiting, Arturia."

Oddly enough, he did not seem concerned about work, even though she was well aware that it was the most important thing in his life. Well, if he was not concerned, she decided that it probably meant that he had things under control.

She grabbed her coat. It was the beginning of November and it was getting colder by the day. Turning off the lights, she preceded him out of the door.

"Then don't let us keep it waiting for much longer, Gilgamesh."

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…

Nurse Kariya had just left the room to tend to other patients, and he greeted the Uruk couple as they passed next to him. They both noticed how his expression was much more serene compared to the previous day, and how the stress lines on his face had disappeared.

Shirou was sitting on the floor in front of Iri's bed, with crayons and a few paper sheets, trying hard to draw a portrait of his mother holding the young, sleeping baby in her arms.

When Arturia and Gilgamesh gave Kariya a nod and then entered the room, the boy directed them a very large smile and greeted them, but did not abandon his work to jump in their direction. His mommy was looking forward to that drawing, and he did not want to disappoint her.

Arturia lightly squeezed her sister's shoulder as she took place next to her. Iri seemed completely mesmerized by her two children; she kept looking back and forth between them – even when Shirou instructed her to stay still to let him draw her properly – as if they were the most precious people in the world for her.

And that was most likely true, Arturia thought with inner happiness.

Iri finally took her eyes away from her sleeping daughter to look at her sister.

Arturia smiled at her.

"Good morning, Iri. How are you feeling?"

The white-haired woman smiled back, radiant.

"Good morning, Ria. I'm feeling tired, I'll admit, but I'm very happy." She touched her daughter's cheek lightly. "She must be tired, too. She's been awake all night, and has only fallen asleep a few minutes ago."

Carefully, Arturia asked, "What is her name going to be, Iri?"

Iri's finger caressed the baby's cheek softly, and another smile bloomed on her face. It was rare to see her smile like this.

"You know, Ria, Kiritsugu and I had discussed the possibility of having kids before–… well, before I was told that I was unlikely to ever be able to conceive. We did not agree on male names, but for female ones…"

She looked up at Arturia. "Her middle name is going to be 'Arturia'. Don't try to argue with me over it, Ria, for I am quite determined – and even if this will come as a surprise to you, Kiritsugu was not against it at all."

Arturia's green eyes could indeed not stifle her surprise at hearing that, but Iri's dark red ones were sincere as she revealed it, leaving her no doubt about the truthfulness of her words.

Knowing that her sister meant to interject, the white-haired woman swiftly went on, "As for her first name… Kiritsugu was fond of this name, which I liked as well." She leaned forward, pressing her pale lips against the little girl's forehead. " _Illya_. Short for Illyasviel."

Arturia nodded, fully accepting of it. But Iri wasn't finished.

"Her name is going to be Illyasviel Arturia _von Einzbern_."

The blonde woman did not raise an eyebrow, but she could not deny that she was surprised. Iri had chosen not to change her legal name from Irisviel von Einzbern to Irisviel Emiya when she had gotten married, but her son had taken the Emiya surname when he had been adopted. It was odd for Iri to choose to give her daughter her own surname and not her husband's, but Arturia decided not to question her on it. Eventually, Iri was going to tell her her reasons on her own.

Iri looked up from her child and at her again.

"Ria, aside from being part of her in her name, will you be Illya's godmother? You are already Shirou's, and I would like you to be the godmother to both my children."

Arturia smiled slightly, touched, and nodded.

"It will be an honour for me, Iri."

The woman in the bed smiled more widely, rocking her child gently, and then looked at her sister once again.

"Would you like to hold her, Ria?"

Gilgamesh, who was on the phone on the other side of the spacious room but was very much aware of everything that was transpiring, was deeply amused at seeing the sudden wariness that appeared on his wife's face at that offer. He was sure that unpleasant memories of their time at the Fraga McRemitz household were resurfacing in her mind – while in his, the memories of her holding a baby were coming up instead…

He got a hold of himself before his spacing out could become noticeable.

"I… am not familiar with holding such a young baby, Iri. I might do something wrong and accidentally harm Illya–"

Iri merely shook her head.

"I didn't know how to hold her a few hours ago either. Kariya explained it to me earlier. Just do it the way I'm doing it."

Gilgamesh watched as Arturia silently stared at her sister for a few minutes, before carefully taking the young baby from her arms. It was almost _endearing_ seeing her behave like this–

–and then, once again, he had to stop in his thoughts abruptly, needing to question himself on the use of a term he had probably _never_ used before in his life. He had to make a conscious effort to focus back on his phone call.

Arturia felt some apprehension as the little girl, maybe woken up by the movements, opened her large, dark red eyes and stared her with curiosity. She could not stop herself from giving a small smile to the baby, who actually seemed to like it, because she returned it.

Feeling Iri's eyes on her – and therefore missing another pair of eyes that were on her, not dark red but blood red ones – Arturia looked up… and she saw tears streaming down her sister's cheeks.

Alarmed, she immediately asked, her tone low so to not startle the child, "Iri! What's wrong? Are you in pain?" Then she stared at the baby, still in her arms, who gave a yawn and closed her eyes to go back to sleep again. "Did I do something wrong with Illya–?"

"No, no, you didn't!" Iri quickly reassured her, looking for a tissue on her bedside table. "I… I just…"

She did not seem to be able to complete the sentence, and therefore blew her nose before attempting to continue again.

"Ria… I don't even know how to say this… but seeing you with Illya in your arms, it's as if she _belongs_ there. I… _You_ should be her mother, Ria."

Arturia's mouth almost dropped open in shock, as Iri began to cry again, silently. Their conversation had not included Shirou, still occupied with drawing, and they did not intend to let the nature of their talks reach him any time soon. They did not know that, on the other side of the room, Gilgamesh was closely following their whole exchange.

"I should never have become a mother, Ria. You can see it – I am unable to look after _myself_ , much less after innocent, helpless children. While you… you know how to, and even when you don't, you still manage to make things right. You think before you act, and you make the best decisions for the children's welfare–"

"So do you," Arturia carefully interrupted her. "You care about your children, Iri, more than anything in the world. You make far more difficult decisions than I do. And you always give your all for them. Don't underestimate what you're capable of, Iri. I know that two small children are not easy to take care of, but it's not a challenge you're unable to face. And please don't forget that I'm here _with_ you."

She looked at her firmly, still holding a now dozing Illya in her arms. "You are their _mother_ , Iri. You are the true pillar in your children's lives. Don't doubt yourself, Iri… because there is no reason for you to do so."

The two sisters stared at each other, emerald green on dark red, before Iri cracked a weak grin.

"I really wish I knew what I did to deserve you as a sister, Ria."

Before the conversation could continue, Shirou approached the bed with his completed drawing. He had a determined expression on his face as he handed it to his mother, since he wanted her unbiased opinion on it and was ready for any kind of critique.

Arturia focused on the sleeping child in her arms, and then threw a glance in Gilgamesh's direction, on the other side of the room. He was still on the phone, but his eyes met hers, letting her know that he hadn't missed a word of her conversation with her sister. Obviously.

Knowing that it was best if she solved things sooner rather than later, Arturia carefully handed Illya back to her mother. Iri then suggested for Shirou to hold her too, while she examined the drawing, and the young boy was very enthusiastic about having his little sister in his arms.

Leaving her spot next to her sister's bed, Arturia approached her husband, who had just ended his call. With his trademark smirk, he handed her a pen and several documents.

"Sign them, Arturia."

She eyed him suspiciously. Since when did she get documents to sign from him, and in person?

He gave a mildly impatient sigh. "When we wrote down our arrangement, you demanded a trust fund and a savings account for your nephew and eventual niece. The boy has everything settled for him; the girl will have it done as soon as you sign these. The sooner this is done, the better."

She gaped at him, dumbfounded. She had not forgotten what they had agreed on in the contract, but she had not expected him to be fully ready to respect what they had decided, _before_ she could even bring it up, and just one day after Illya had been born.

It was… quite the shock.

As she sat down and began to read the documents she was going to sign, Arturia was mildly aware of the fact that her husband's eyes were fixated on her with a knowing glint in them.

He knew he had surprised her, and he was pleased by it.

Yet she could not find it in herself to be irritated. Not this time.

She had been immature; he had already proven, more than once, that he was capable of being considerate, and he _always_ kept his word. What had made her think that he would not respect the contract in this occasion either? And with such promptness, too?

It was truly time she stopped being so distrusting towards the man she had married, the man who kept proving that there was much more to him than she had thought possible.

...

...

 **A/N** : as this story is now about two-thirds done, I'm going on a planned few months of hiatus (that means I'm taking a temporary break from this fic). In the meantime, if you don't mind my writing style, I have two accounts on Archive Of Our Own, **KMKH** and **MidoriKurenaiYume** , with over 60 other GilArt stories ;)


	32. Time

**A/N** : Warning: there's nothing too detailed, but there are some descriptions of body organs. Thank you so much to Jolanikati for editing!

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"Mrs. Ria…? Would you… could I…? I mean, may I speak with you, please?"

Arturia looked up from the newspaper she was cutting. She had found a mind puzzle game and the instructions for a detailed origami that she intended to bring to Shirou.

Now that Illya was born and Iri was regaining her health, things were slowly but surely starting to return to normalcy, and she found herself busy with tasks that could be considered mundane more often than not.

Therefore, the sudden question from Sakura in the early evening was quite unexpected. From the faint sound coming from the kitchen, it was not difficult to guess that she had already put dinner in the oven and had come to the living room to speak with her in a moment she knew Gilgamesh was not present.

Sakura was tormenting her hands fretfully, prompting Arturia to push the newspaper to the side. She would give the young girl her full attention.

"Of course, Sakura. Please, do sit down."

Now playing with the hem of her apron, the purple-haired girl took a seat while seeming quite nervous.

"I'm sorry to be asking this of you, Mrs. Ria… I am not sure about what to do, and I… if that were okay… would like advice. I know this is very forward and I don't mean to be arrogant in this and I'm sorry for being a burden and–"

"Sakura," Arturia said, gently interrupting her. "You are not just an employee, you are a friend. Feel free to tell me anything you wish to."

Sakura was only five years her junior, there was no need for excessive formalities. The girl stared at her knees and took a deep breath, the woman's words seeming to have calmed her a bit.

"Mrs. Ria, Uncle Kariya… he asked if he could adopt Rin and I, or at least have guardianship over us, and he would like us go live with him."

Arturia did not have surprise to express. She had expected something like this to happen, with Kariya's obvious affection for the two girls; maybe she had just not expected it so soon. It was clear though that it wasn't all and Sakura had something more to tell her.

"I am… not sure about accepting."

Arturia nodded for her to continue. After the time in which she had wrongly suspected Gilgamesh of cheating on her, she had learned to avoid starting to form an opinion on any situation until she had _all_ the facts straight.

"Please don't get me wrong, I love Uncle Kariya," Sakura said rapidly, noticeably frightful that Arturia would misunderstand her. "He's been so much like a father to us, sometimes it feels as if he truly _is_ our father. But officially being adopted by him… going to live with him… I don't know. He… he loves Rin and I, and he is being here for us, always. I know we can trust him. But… back then… he was not there, before. When we truly needed someone, _he wasn't there_."

Arturia observed the young girl's expression, which was a mixture of frustration, confusion, anxiety and sadness. She had an inkling that she knew the reason why Sakura was uncertain.

Very gently, she said, "I assume you are referring to the time after your parents died."

Sakura gave a small nod with her head, as her eyes turned into a stormflow of lilac.

"He was not there for us then. He was not there for Rin and for me. When we truly needed help, he wasn't there."

Arturia, with the same gentleness, went on to ask, "Did you ever ask him the reason for that, Sakura?"

The blonde woman knew what Sakura was talking about, because she had been with Iri and Kariya enough times in the past to understand the man's story.

Kariya had loved his childhood friend, Aoi, very deeply. She had been conscious of his feelings for her but, being unable to return them, had asked him to keep his distance. In spite of that, she had still occasionally made contact with him, letting him know about her marriage and the subsequent birth of her two daughters. However, after Rin had been born, Aoi had finally realized that keeping in touch with a man who loved her in a way that she was never going to reciprocate was selfish of her; she cared about him as a friend, but she was hurting him by behaving in such a way. She had therefore decided to say goodbye to him; and Kariya, who loved her dearly, had respected her wishes and had stayed away.

Due to this, he had not known about Aoi's death immediately, and that was the reason why he 'had not been there for them', as Sakura had said, and he had also not known about their difficult financial situation.

Arturia was however aware of the fact that, unless it became unavoidable, it wasn't her place to clarify those things to the girl, because they were private and Kariya had the right to tell her about them herself.

The girl bit her lip.

"I didn't talk with him about it, that is true."

Arturia looked into Sakura's eyes firmly.

"You asked for my advice, Sakura. I cannot – and will not – decide for you about the guardianship or the adoption. But I would advise you to speak with both Kariya and Rin about this, and not make a decision before you have talked with him at length."

Then she gave a glance to the clock, suppressing a small smile. "And if you are baking a pie, I believe it's time to take it out of the oven."

Sakura jumped up immediately.

"You're completely right, Mrs. Ria, I'm sorry! And thank you!" she exclaimed, as she rushed towards the kitchen.

Taking back the scissors, Arturia leaned on the newspaper again, the faintest hint of a smile appearing on her lips.

If Sakura had an honest talk with Kariya, the blonde woman had little doubt that in a few months she and Rin were going to find a family again with the man who loved them as if they were his own daughters.

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A young baby needed a lot of time and care, Arturia realized during the following month. Between her, Iri and – to no one's surprise – Kariya, little Illya was however never left without someone to fuss over her.

Doctor Diarmuid confirmed that she was indeed healthy, and the way she screamed for hours to an end was corroboration enough of the fact that she had, at the very least, a very healthy pair of lungs. Iri was still unable to get up from bed, exhausted from giving birth, and she was recovering much more slowly than the doctors expected. They couldn't give her too much heavy medicaments nor perform complete and accurate check-ups until her body recuperated a little more strength, which meant that her currently stable situation was temporary.

However, she was able to nurse Illya – since she wasn't taking any strong medicines – and remain awake without any major problems, therefore it seemed certain that her health would be regained in due time. Both Arturia and Kariya were of course always there to help her – as was little Shirou.

Shirou had proven to be very good in helping his mother, even though he was a bit puzzled when his little sister started screaming, either to be nursed or to have her diaper changed. He often stared in wonder as his Uncle Kariya and Auntie Ria explained to him what needed to be done to look after such a young child.

Arturia continued with her work at Uruk Enterprises as usual, but asked Gilgamesh for both of them to be excused from social gatherings for a while, since there was now a little baby who needed an attention that Iri alone was unable to completely provide for, at least for the time being.

Besides, Christmas was approaching. It was true that for New Years the Uruk couple was expected to appear at a public event somewhere, but until then, everything was going to be focused on celebrating the festivity on their own. Arturia was not overly fond of the gift-exchanging tradition, since she considered much more valuable the things that could not be bought, but she made sure to prepare small thoughts for all the people she knew – and she did not ask her husband for money, but used her own.

She had her own pay-checks and, while Gilgamesh paid for Iri's medications and her wardrobe, for things like presents she was not going to ask for his money.

She may very well have married him because she needed a financial deal, but that did not mean that she didn't have any morals left – or that she would demand money from him unreasonably for every little whim.

…

*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*

…

During one of the usual lunches with her husband, Arturia had her mind so full with all the new things she had just learned about properly taking care of Illya that she was completely distracted from everything else going on around her.

Only when Gilgamesh repeated her name twice did she realize that she had been spacing out. Seeing his annoyance, she couldn't help looking a little apologetic and then swiftly explaining what had been occupying her mind.

As she talked, she noticed that his expression was becoming harder and harder to decipher. Could it be that he actually looked bored by what she was telling him? After all, he disliked children, so having her talking incessantly about them wasn't the best–

She had to stop in her thoughts. What proof did she have of what she merely _thought_ were his tastes? Instead of making assumptions – as she had done other times, and it had never turned out well – she should inquire directly, since they were currently on that precise subject.

She looked at him in curiosity and put forth her question very straightforwardly.

"Gilgamesh, you dislike children very much, don't you?"

She saw him freeze for a second, but he was very fast in hiding what he was thinking and merely gave her a blank look. Understanding that he was silently questioning her on the reason for asking something like that, she shrugged lightly.

"It's the general impression I have, and your words directed at Mrs. McRemitz on this same subject seemed to support my theory. That is why I'm asking."

Gilgamesh concentrated on the plate in front of him, finishing the rest of his meal in dignified silence, before slowly looking back at her.

"Indeed I cannot claim I feel particularly attracted to children, as they are still in need of growth and the immaturity they display is often capable of producing quite some annoyance. However," his expression turned slightly haughtier, "since most children grow into impossibly foolish adults, their younger version is infinitely better, or, at the very least, much less boring. Therefore, to answer your question, Arturia… I don't necessarily dislike children."

Having finished eating, he took out his agenda, most likely to check his appointments, but Arturia wasn't ready to let the subject drop right away. She had another question to ask him, a question she might have preferred asking Enkidu, but she could not deny that getting an answer from the direct source was much better.

"Do you wish for children of your own?"

She said these words with what she considered sufficient detachment in her tone, because after all, she was merely curious, and she didn't want anything else implied in her question. She wanted to understand what her husband thought about the subject; she was indeed oddly interested in finding out if he had ever entertained the notion of becoming a parent.

She could not say if she was relieved or disappointed when he didn't even look at her and instead dialled a number on his phone, preparing to give his subordinates instructions for the afternoon.

As he stood up – she did as well, getting ready to leave – his phone was glued to his ear, yet he succinctly and perplexingly replied, in a tone making it very clear that the subject was not to be brought up again, "Not at the moment."

…

*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*

…

Soon enough, it was Christmas Eve.

Although it was not an officially celebrated occasion in Japan – or rather, not religiously – there were still decorations everywhere and the city of Tokyo seemed even more magical than usual. A soft snow had begun to fall the night before, and it enhanced the eerie yet mystic aspect of the entire scenery.

Together with Gilgamesh, Arturia went to the hospital, where she knew Sakura and Rin were going to be, to first take care of Illya for a while and then to play with Shirou later. They had plans of spending the day there quietly, in each other's company, even though Gilgamesh had already made it clear that he was going to go to the office as soon as it became too much for his tastes. He also confirmed that he had several phone calls to make, and Enkidu was going to drop by later in the day as well.

But all their plans had to be completely disregarded when a frantic Kariya met them at the entrance of the hospital.

Out of breath and very obviously not in his usual calm state, the grey-haired man explained, "Mrs. Ria, Mr. Uruk, I was about to call you. Iri has to undergo an operation and–"

Diarmuid appeared at his side, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Go back to her, Kariya. I will speak with them myself."

Kariya did not need to be told twice and left a suddenly stony-faced Arturia alone to listen to her cousin's grim explanation.

They had discovered that apparently, contrary to what they had thought, after Illya's birth, not the entirety of the placenta had been taken out. The remaining tissues had gotten infected and were causing Irisviel extreme pain, and needed to be surgically removed as soon as possible. However, it was not possible to put her into an artificial sleep; chances were that even a small dose of sedatives would be too strong for her still frail body and she would never wake up again.

"Therefore it must be local anesthetization," Arturia deduced, her face a mask that Diarmuid was unable to decipher. "I'll go to her."

The black-haired man nodded, and he guided the Uruk couple to the antechamber before the surgery room.

Gilgamesh could not help staring at his wife's expression as they walked towards the room. Now that no one else was watching, she had let her previous mask slip for a few moments. He had never seen such anxiety on her face before, especially because she usually did all she could to not show what her emotions were, and even now, she was trying hard to not let them be visible.

Seeing such distress on Arturia, he could not stop himself from wondering what her expression must have been like eight months before, the night in which she had found out about Irisviel's sickness and pregnancy. For the first time, he thought he could see a glimpse of the desperation that had pushed her to overcome her pride and make a deal with him even though she had deeply disliked him.

On her part, Arturia was engaged in a furious battle with the denial inside herself.

It could not be possible. No. _No_. It could not be… right when everything was going so well…

After Iri's coma, her sickness, Illya's birth, after going through all that had happened in the past months, was there truly another hardship ready to plague them? Once again…?

As foolish, childish and incomprehensible as it was, Arturia felt a strange sensation of comfort when suddenly Gilgamesh's hand touched her shoulder briefly. The contact did not last for more than a second, since they were still walking, but it helped her. It made her focus again, and she felt a surge of gratitude towards him for that small gesture. She had new determination to do what she had to now.

Everyone else was already there. Kariya was reassuringly telling Iri that little Illya was asleep, and Sakura and Rin immediately offered, with serious expressions, to go stay with the baby until the surgery was over. Iri thanked them weakly, and then her face brightened with a relieved smile as she saw her sister enter the room. Shirou was keeping next to the bed where she was lying, as was Kariya.

Arturia did not have the time to exchange words with Iri, because Diarmuid turned to face everyone.

"Only one person is allowed inside the room with the patient during the operation." Then he looked at Iri's face, very seriously. "It's not going to take a long time, but it will not be easy. Who would you like to have at your side, Irisviel?"

"My sister." There was no hesitation in her tone.

Diarmuid nodded towards Arturia, and then gave a sharp glance in Kariya's direction.

"Kariya, I will have need of your competence for this surgery. Can you handle it?"

The meaning of his question was clear: he was specifically asking if Kariya could handle the pressure of operating on a person he cared about. But Diarmuid should not have underestimated the grey-haired man.

His eyes held nothing but determination and firmness as he stared at the doctor.

"I can."

Diarmuid nodded, and opened the doors to the surgery room. Another doctor and two other nurses were already putting on their gloves and masks.

"Everyone else, please leave the room," Kariya asked quietly.

But Shirou did not let go of his mother's hand. He shook his head when Arturia addressed him, and he shouted loudly when Diarmuid tried to loosen his grasp.

"No! I will not leave mommy! Let me go! _Let me go_!"

There was little time – Iri needed to undergo the operation as soon as possible, and Shirou could not stay with her as that happened.

Suppressing the emotions that made her want to hold her nephew and promise him that everything was going to be fine, Arturia knew she had no other choice but to be harsh.

"Shirou – leave the room _this instant_."

She had never used such a stern tone with him, and the boy's eyes widened, swelling with tears of shock and confusion as he let go of his mother's hand.

Kariya was shocked as well, and stared at Arturia with a mix of wariness and reproach.

In a low voice that the little boy couldn't hear, he hissed at her, "How can you be so cold and unfeeling towards him?"

Arturia's eyes were firmer than Kariya had ever seen them, the steely glint in them making her appear much older than she was.

"Because, right now, I need to be, and you know that."

Kariya's eyes widened slightly, and as he understood what she meant, he gave her a short nod – a brief form of an apology, but an apology for his outburst nonetheless.

Shirou opened his mouth to say something, undoubtedly trying to find a way to stay in the room but, to everyone's surprise, Gilgamesh grabbed his outstretched hand.

"Come, boy."

His tone, same as Arturia's, did not leave any room for argument. The tears now flowing unrestrained down his cheeks, Shirou had no choice but to follow him out. Before the door closed behind them – Sakura and Rin having left when previously instructed to – blood red eyes met emerald green ones.

The glance her husband gave her was enough to reassure Arturia about the fact that he would look after Shirou while she wasn't there, therefore she turned to face Diarmuid, Kariya and Iri. Iri's expression was anxious.

"Ria, he–"

Arturia was next to her in a second.

"Shirou will be fine. Trust me, Iri."

Her expression was limpid, not a hint of deceit or lie in it, and her sister nodded, squeezing her hand.

"Thank you, Ria." Then she gave a very weak smile to Kariya and Diarmuid, feeling new confidence thanks to her sister's steady reassurance. "Let's get this over with."

…

*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*

…

Gilgamesh was not very happy about his current situation. He had brought the crying, snivelling boy out in the hospital's park, and he had chosen a bench away from prying eyes where they could sit down. At first, he had had to _force_ the boy to take a seat, but now he was simply sniffling and remaining quite still in his place.

He suppressed a sigh. He had not _exactly_ made any explicit promises, but he _had_ silently reassured Arturia about the fact that he would look after her nephew while she was with her sister. That was basically as good as giving his word, and he would never go against it, no matter how much it annoyed him.

Therefore, he made the effort of addressing him and explaining the situation.

"Stop crying, boy. Your mother has to undergo surgery and only your aunt can stay with her while that happens. It's not going to be a pleasant operation, so they don't want you to be present to witness that. They both have your best interest in mind, and you should know it." He gave the boy a sidelong glare. "You are staying here until everything is over, is that understood?"

Shirou could do nothing else but nod, and then tried his mightiest to plaster a smile on his face.

Only more irritated by it, Gilgamesh's glare intensified. He did not intend to renounce to his bluntness, not even when he was talking to a five-year-old boy.

"Stop _faking_ happiness. It's a very degrading display."

The boy's golden eyes stared at the man next to him with an equal measure of fright and confusion, but he did no longer attempt to produce a fake smile. Like Auntie Ria, Uncle Gilgamesh talked complicated, but he wasn't as affectionate as her. He was also much blunter, and that made it even more intimidating.

Gilgamesh pondered briefly. He knew that, assuming everything went well, the operation was probably going to take about an hour, and until things were done, he was going to have to stay with the brat.

Suppressing another sigh, he reached the conclusion that he could not spend the entire time in silence. The boy was not his aunt; Arturia was able to read his moods and know when he wanted to be in silence and when he wanted to have a conversation, but it was admittedly too much to ask from a young child. And besides, it wasn't like Arturia adapted herself to his moods: she took notice of them but she always stood her ground, especially when she thought his moods were unacceptable.

Pushing thoughts about his wife out of his mind for the moment – she was always finding space there, and he had given up on trying to keep her out of it – he decided to ask a harmless question that was not likely to provide any entertainment for him, but was still going to be better than nothing.

"Have you already thought about what you want to do when you grow up?"

The boy's head snapped up and surprised him with the steady look that settled on his features.

"Yes. I want to save everyone. I want to become a hero of justice!"

And there went Gilgamesh's plan for _harmless_.

...

...


	33. Hero

…

…

...

...

A question about the boy's future was supposed to be bland and innocuous, Gilgamesh thought in annoyance.

But since there was nothing better to do, and he had nothing to lose, he decided to go along with it.

"Give details."

The brat did not seem to catch onto his bored tone, apparently only registering the question. His hands were balled into fists, and he had a childishly firm expression on his face.

"Mommy is always suffering, and I can't do anything for her. Auntie Ria always takes care of her, but she gets creases on her forehead when she is worried – she _suffers_. She hides it, but I see that she suffers." He slammed his small fists on the bench in frustration. "It's unfair! Mommy and Auntie Ria should not suffer. They should be _happy_. There are too many things that make them suffer. I want to save them."

He stopped to breathe but continued immediately, "All the people in hospital – they are so sad, so worried, so… full of suffering. When I grow up, I want to be able to _save_ them from pain. I want to save _everyone_ from pain. And I _will_."

At the end of the impromptu speech, Gilgamesh had to make a huge effort to hide his scorn, and he only managed to do so by remembering that the brat was Arturia's nephew.

The words he had uttered were still ridiculous though.

He recalled that Arturia had addressed her concerns about the development of the boy's way of thinking. She had been right; the thoughts he had been entertaining were worse than delusional. It appeared that she had not been worrying needlessly.

Gilgamesh sighed inwardly, making sure his expression remained inscrutable at the same time. He studied the boy, bringing back to mind everything he knew about him.

Shirou Emiya was very young, and he had lost his normal life and his family when he was younger still. Afterwards, he had seen his adoptive father die and spent more time than any child should at the hospital, witnessing his adoptive mother's terrible illnesses. Not only had he been often at the hospital; he had been _living_ there for the past five months. Even though Arturia made sure he left often, to take walks outside and go to many other places in Tokyo, by living in such a place it was unavoidable for him to end up seeing the ugly side of countless sicknesses.

While it was very positive that being a witness to so many calamities had not made him depressed, the ideas he had developed to cope with his situation weren't much better. True, the sentiment was certainly noble and the intention behind it couldn't be more selfless, but it was not realistic, and it was better for everyone if he grew out of such delusions as soon as possible, even if he was still nothing but a young brat.

Gilgamesh allowed his mental sigh to transform into a real one. Not only was the child delusional, it was falling on his own shoulders to snap him out of these delusions, for Arturia wasn't there at the moment, the boy's mother was ill and the boy's father was dead.

The only reason why he deigned to actually do something about his precocious foolishness was the fact that the boy was _his_ nephew as well, and it would not do for a nephew of his to have such ridiculous ideas.

Very curtly, Gilgamesh began, "Saving everyone is impossible, boy."

Shirou actually surprised him and mildly impressed him when he stared at him without blinking and shot back, "It's impossible only if I don't try, Uncle Gilgamesh."

That kind of resolve was commendable, Gilgamesh acknowledged inwardly, but it was not enough to overlook the fact that the boy was being resolute about something foolish.

He turned on the bench, giving him his full attention. Shirou stared into his blood red eyes, both scared and fascinated.

"Think carefully about what you expressed as wish for the future. You said you want to 'save everybody', which is both guilelessly non-specific and nonsensically contradictory in itself. Grow up, boy." He waited a second to let the child absorb the meaning of his difficult words.

Now to the important part, which required more effort on his side, since he was not used to giving lectures that were more or less nicely phrased.

"It's one thing to have good intentions, and you certainly don't lack that. You want to help. To be of use. To protect people. And those are very pure goals. But it's another thing to make those very generic aspirations become reality in a non-foolish way."

Shirou's eyes flashed in frustrated anger, and he stubbornly looked up at him.

"You won't convince me to give up!"

Some coldness creeping into his voice, Gilgamesh went on, "That's not what I'm suggesting, boy. I'm telling you that you can have whatever dreams you want; just find a more realistic and _less_ _ignorant_ way of making them come true."

The brat's expression clearly told him that he was not sure he understood what he meant.

"You are still very young. You have time to understand how the world works, to understand how people are, and to find ways to change it all. But do that with your brain instead of just your dreams – or _in_ them."

Since it was obvious that the boy was beginning to follow his reasoning, Gilgamesh decided it was time to complete it – even though it was going to be difficult to hold back from insulting him too much.

"You are declaring, with a great deal of naïve overconfidence, that you will help everyone. Very boastful of you. And yet, you are not even supporting your own mother and your aunt right now, even if it's a moment in which they would need you to do so. How can you be believable in speaking about large, impossible dreams of generically saving people in the future, when right now you don't even help your family, the ones closest to you?"

Shirou winced at the harsh tone of his uncle's words.

"You say you want to help. Then start from where the help is actually _needed_ , boy. Things are difficult for your family in this period, so start by helping your mother. Start by helping your little sister. Start by helping your aunt, who has done more for you than you will ever realize."

There was a short pause. "Arturia always says that you are responsible and smart. You are about to turn six years old. Prove that you are growing up not just in age, but in maturity _as well_ , boy."

A long silence followed. Shirou blinked away several tears, and stared at the leafless trees around them, in the cold winter park, where a very light mantle of snow was covering the grass.

After some long minutes of quietness that Gilgamesh did not intend to break as he settled himself more comfortably in his position on the bench, eyes away from the boy, Shirou finally looked up at him again, his voice more timid than before.

"Uncle Gilgamesh… does that mean… that my dream is impossible?"

The blond man allowed himself to give a gracious shrug.

"Only the way you work on it will tell, boy. But if you go around sputtering absurdities instead of _acting with sense_ , then yes, it's impossible."

Another silence followed, longer than the previous one. Gilgamesh was beginning to think that it was uncommonly long, until a glance to the side revealed the fact that the boy had actually fallen asleep.

While a sleeping brat was a definite improvement when compared to a snivelling one, that didn't mean Gilgamesh was happy about the new predicament. They were out in the cold garden, and that meant that he would have to take him back inside to not make him freeze. It hadn't been long enough since the beginning of the surgery for it to be over, but they had indeed spent more than enough time outside.

And it would be good for his nephew to reflect upon his words.

Sighing, the most powerful man in the world stood up from the bench and, making sure Shirou sleepily walked next to him by keeping him steady by the arm, guided them inside the building. The little boy blinked a few times when he found himself in his brightly lit room, where Rin and Illya were sleeping and Sakura was silently keeping an eye on them. The purple-haired girl nodded in their direction, shrinking back a bit at the sight of her employer.

Shirou looked up at his uncle, his golden eyes becoming somewhat confused even as he looked shy.

"Uncle Gilgamesh, I… well, I wanted to know, why do you never call me by my name?" he asked in a low voice, so to not wake up his little sister and his black-haired friend.

Gilgamesh raised an eyebrow. He did not particularly like the idea of the brat starting to ask questions like this one, but it was indeed an interesting thing to ask, and it was certainly better than continuing with the 'saving everyone' idiocy.

To amuse himself, he decided to give quite a blunt reply.

"There has never been the necessity for it."

As expected, the boy was confused, but then he looked up with very innocent eyes.

"Then would you please use my name now?"

Gilgamesh could not deny that he was oddly entertained by such a request, but his entertainment was cut short when the doors to the room opened again and Arturia came in.

She appeared to be a little tired, but she smiled a very small and weak smile at them, since everyone was staring at her in worry.

"The surgery was successful. Iri is resting now."

The boy – _Shirou_ – squealed in happiness, but not loud enough to wake the two sleeping girls, while Sakura directed a large smile at the blonde woman. Gilgamesh, instead, simply nodded, his eyes remaining on his wife, not missing the signs of stress that were still prominent in her features.

He narrowed his eyes. There was a tight, stern edge about her, which told him that not everything was completely right. She was hiding something.

However, she did not give him the time to say anything and addressed her nephew. Gilgamesh got the distinct impression that she had felt his stare and, afraid that he might notice that something was amiss, was now trying to divert the attention.

"How are you feeling, Shirou? Your nose is all red."

The minimal inflection in her voice told Gilgamesh that she was slightly worried about the harsh way in which she had sent the boy out of the room less than an hour before.

The boy smiled widely, showing that all was forgotten.

"I was out in the garden with Uncle Gilgamesh!"

Only a little surprised, but surprised nonetheless, she looked at him.

He intended to only give a nod in confirmation to the boy's words, but then decided differently.

"Indeed, I had a talk with Shirou outside."

The sincere pleasure that appeared in the child's expression at hearing him use his name was a bit unexpected for Gilgamesh, but he decided that it was useless to be startled and it was much simpler to just accept it. Arturia's ill-concealed shock at his words was after all much more amusing to witness.

Turning briefly towards Sakura, the blond man indicated the boy with a slight tilt of his head, and both immediately understood his unspoken request of staying in the room. Not giving anyone the time to say anything, Gilgamesh took his wife's arm – firmly but without forcing her – and guided her out, closing the door behind them.

Arturia raised both eyebrows at his behaviour.

He studied her keenly for a few seconds, before saying, "There is something bothering you."

Emerald eyes widened at his perceptiveness, but he didn't give her the time to school her features nor change the subject nor stall him in any possible way.

He could guess that it had something to do with her sister, because he knew that the surgery had not been easy and had in fact put her life in danger; but without any other information, he could not guess what was making his wife's eyes have such a shadow of worry in them.

He took a step closer to her, even though they were already standing quite close to each other.

"Arturia, tell me."

She was perfectly aware of the fact that trying to dissuade him would have taken too much time and effort and was not guaranteed to have success; therefore, she looked up into his eyes. His skin was slightly more flushed than usual because of the cold outside, even though it did not have Shirou's bright red shade – and Arturia mentally shook herself, wondering why she was picking up on such a meaningless detail.

"Iri is not out of danger. The surgery was indeed successful, but they can't be certain they removed the entire placenta until they do an MRI. However, the local anaesthesia caused the skin to get swollen, therefore there is nothing to do but wait – and hope for the best." She did not look very optimistic as she added, "Another surgery might be required, and this one would pose an even greater danger to Iri's life."

He did not say a word as he observed her biting her lips with worry, and accepted her words silently.

Her distress about her sister's situation was something he was used to knowing about, but not so used to _seeing_. Especially because of her nephew's presence, Arturia always kept her emotions tightly in check, not wanting to make the boy worry. But right now, there was no one else, and her worry for Irisviel was truly visible.

Gilgamesh thought, for the second time on the same day, that perhaps he could finally understand the true reason that had prompted her to toss her pride aside and go ask him for his help, all those months before.

She snapped out of her worry, however, to frown at him.

"What did you mean when you said that you 'had a talk' with Shirou, Gilgamesh?"

The ghost of a smirk appeared on his lips.

"The boy professed his beliefs in a way too foolish even for his age, therefore I clarified the matter." Giving her a nod, he added, "You had rightly foreseen that living in a hospital was going to influence his way of thinking."

Arturia's expression turned disbelieving.

"Are you actually complimenting me?"

He tsked, shaking his head fractionally.

"No, Arturia. I'm stating facts."

Her eyes narrowed but, before she could give him a retort, nurse Kariya approached them.

"Irisviel is awake now."

…

*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*

…

Arturia and Gilgamesh followed him to a room not far from there, where there was the necessary equipment for Iri to rest comfortably after the surgery. If the blonde woman was surprised about the fact that her husband came with her, she didn't let it show.

Lying in her bed, Iri did not appear able to move without exhausting herself, but she smiled widely at seeing her sister again, while Kariya discreetly exited the room. Gilgamesh observed the two sisters as Arturia reassured her about the children before asking her how she was feeling.

A few minutes later, Kariya was at the entrance again, requesting Arturia's signature on several forms about the results of the surgery and the medicines. With an apologetic smile, the blonde woman followed him out of the room.

That left Irisviel alone with Gilgamesh.

Deathly pale in her bed, she allowed her dark red eyes to land on the blond man who was married to her sister – _Ria's husband_.

Under normal circumstances, Iri would have felt apprehension. The man was imposing and his persona, without him needing to say a word, fully permeated the room. But she had just gone through a very taxing surgery, and it was unlikely that she would ever find herself in such a situation again – that is, alone with him.

The occasion was perfect to address him on something that had been on her mind for quite a while. After all, when she had woken up to find herself pregnant, in a different country, and with her sister married to a stranger just in order to get the money to look after her, it had been a huge shock, and she had some questions on which she wanted answers.

Cautiously, ignoring her fatigue, she said, "Mr. Uruk…?"

"You may call me Gilgamesh," he said curtly but not arrogantly, his blood red eyes falling on her. He didn't think she was worthy of his consideration, but she was – whether he liked it or not – his wife's sister, and there was no point in keeping things overly formal under the circumstances.

She nodded weakly.

"I meant to ask you – why did you want to marry my sister?"

He knew that she was the only person, aside from Enkidu, who had been told about the contract. She was certainly aware of the reasons that had made the agreement exist in the first place, yet she was probably not asking about them.

He seemed amused as he studied her briefly.

"Strange question, coming from you."

In spite of the tiredness in them, her eyes were firm.

"I am very much aware of my sister's merits – my objective is finding out whether or not _you_ are."

He seemed even more amused by her explanation, noting that something in her firmness was prominent enough to remind him of Arturia, and decided to give her a truthful answer.

An answer that, if Enkidu had been present to hear it, would have revealed far more than Irisviel was able to understand.

"Unusually enough, she fascinates me."

Irisviel raised an eyebrow.

"Is that all?"

Gilgamesh's expression betrayed nothing, therefore the woman sighed. "From what I've seen and heard about you, it's very rare for anything to catch your attention, let alone hold it for a prolonged period of time. I don't know if I should be happy about the fact that Ria has apparently managed to do just that. However…"

She held herself up a little straighter, and suddenly her tiredness seemed to disappear as her eyes flashed at him.

And for one fraction of a second, Gilgamesh was actually able to glimpse all the willpower that was hidden inside of Irisviel von Einzbern's fragile body.

"I don't care how rich, powerful or influential you are. I don't care that I am a sick, weak, frail woman whose life is on the line, with two small children and almost no means to support them. If you do anything, _anything_ that hurts Ria, I _will_ find a way to make you pay for it. No person alive has the right to make my sister suffer, not after all she has done for us, and if you do so, I will make _sure_ you regret it."

Gilgamesh was both amused and impressed by the infirm woman in front of him. He had always thought of Irisviel von Einzbern as a weak, submissive kind of woman, who depended on Arturia for everything and who didn't have an ounce of true strength in her. But, he decided, there was the tiny possibility that he might have been hasty in judging her; she did seem to have some of Arturia's spirit in her after all.

Truth to be told, he had not expected her to be so fiercely protective of her sister. It was obvious that she cared very deeply about her, and there was a glint of true steel in her eyes, which told him that she meant every word and that she would actually be capable of making her threats a reality.

She had proven to be stronger than he had given her credit for. She was deserving of hearing his next words – words he did not fully want to admit that he actually meant as well.

He inclined his head towards her.

"You can trust my word, _Irisviel_. If _anyone_ dares attempt to harm Arturia, I will make them regret it as well."

At hearing that declaration and seeing how he did not appear to be lying, all the exhaustion seemed to come back to Iri, and she let herself fall back on the pillows.

Gilgamesh weighed her with his eyes for another few seconds and then, hearing footsteps approach and recognizing them as his wife's, he did not stop a lazy smirk from gracing his lips.

"I suppose I should thank you. After all, it's because of _you_ that Arturia agreed to marry me."

Iri stared at him, her eyes red like his, but a dark, stormy red, contrary to his brilliant blood colour.

Mere seconds before Arturia stepped into the room, she murmured, her tone strangely undefinable, "No, I don't think you should thank me, for you still have to prove that you _deserve_ to be married to a woman like her… _Gilgamesh Uruk_."

…

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…

A few hours later, after spending some time in talking with her sister but not giving away anything of what she had briefly discussed with Gilgamesh, Iri finally fell asleep.

She was going to be able to rest peacefully until the next day, when they were going to perform full check-ups to see if another surgery was needed. Illya had been nursed twice and Sakura had lulled her to sleep before going home with Rin; little Shirou had been very attentive and very caring towards both his mother and sister for the rest of the day, and Arturia knew that it must have been the result of what her husband had discussed with him.

Speaking of her husband, he had spent the rest of the day with the phone glued to his ear, managing his office work with one call after the other. But he had not left the hospital the entire time, and Arturia could not find a reasonable explanation for it – yet she had not had the time to ponder over it either.

As for herself, she was tired. It had been a long day – between the surgery and going through form after form to sign – and when Gilgamesh materialized at her side, he seemed to be thinking the same.

He indicated the exit with a tilt of his head, his intention clear.

However, Arturia hesitated.

"I… would rather stay."

His sharp eyes examined her attentively. Her reasons for wanting to stay were obvious and he did not need to ask, but that would not stop him from trying to make her change her mind.

"Your exhaustion and stress are plain to see. Remaining here would not bring positive outcomes."

She met his eyes though, her expression resolute, and that was enough to confirm to him that she was _not_ going to change her mind on the subject, no matter what he said. Therefore, he nodded briefly, letting her know that he was going to accept her decision.

Satisfied, she turned away from him to go sit on the comfortable soft chairs in front of her sister's room.

She could not help being confused, however, when he followed her and sat down next to her.

He gave her a strange smirk.

"It wouldn't be becoming for you to remain here alone. I will stay as well."

In truth, he couldn't explain why he had made such a decision; or at least, he couldn't find a _reasonable_ explanation for it. All he knew was that he had not liked the thought of leaving without her, and had therefore made his decision accordingly.

He brushed the demanding and potentially dangerous thought aside and allowed his smirk to widen when he witnessed his wife's puzzlement.

In a silky voice, he added, "You should not be afraid, Arturia. I won't do anything to you."

She stared at him directly, her eyes holding a very odd look, one he was not able to decipher.

Her words took him by surprise, but they seemed to take _her_ by surprise, too.

"I know that you would never do anything that could bring me harm, Gilgamesh."

Arturia was actually astonished by her own words when she realized that what she had just uttered was the utmost truth. She knew it was – she could almost _feel_ it.

But Gilgamesh was even more taken aback than her. Telling him that she knew that he would not harm her meant that there was a deeper degree of intimacy between them than he had thought. It seemed that the past months had made them both change their way of valuing each other: she had actually some form of _trust_ towards him.

Before either of them could say anything else, even just break the gaze they were exchanging, Doctor Diarmuid approached them.

If Gilgamesh had not been inclined to think well of him before, he certainly didn't think well of him now. How dare the man interrupt them _right now_.

However, since he had information for Arturia that she wished to hear, he could not say anything, and settled for only keeping his scowl.

Diarmuid was explaining to Arturia that, in a few hours, as soon as the swelling reduced, they were going to be able to perform all the necessary check-ups on Iri and find out the truth about her conditions. Then, perhaps sensing the hostility coming from the blond man's direction, he excused himself.

That meant that they were going to have to wait in order to know more.

As the hours went by, Arturia felt her eyelids beginning to droop slowly. She knew she was tired, and she knew, from many other occasions spent waiting in a similar fashion, that time was not going to pass quickly. She unconsciously tried to find something to support her head, and when she found it, she leaned into it with a content and barely audible sigh.

She was too tired to fully realize that this 'something' was uncommonly warm for an inanimate object, and she was also stressed enough to not be able to fully fall asleep.

That was how Arturia Uruk found herself spending Christmas night at the hospital, waiting for news about her sister, plagued by tormented thoughts, completely unaware of the fact that she was falling in and out of sleep against her husband's chest.

...

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	34. Christmas

**A/N** : Thank you so much to Jolanikati for editing :)

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When the first weak rays of the morning sun began to brighten the corridor, Arturia blinked a few times, to get rid of her sleepiness. When she straightened herself, she met the teasingly amused crimson eyes belonging to her husband.

She blinked again, and then shot to her feet.

How had this happened?

She had fallen into slumber against _Gilgamesh's chest_. And she had not slid to the floor because somewhere during the night he had passed an arm around her shoulders to support her.

She shook her head fiercely, trying to get rid of her thoughts, but it was nearly impossible when she saw that his annoying smirk was back on his lips.

"Good morning, Arturia. Did you sleep well?"

The teasing tone was unmistakable, and she glared at him. His next words, however, made her push aside her aggravation, at least for the time being.

"About an hour ago, the doctors entered your sister's room and started with the check-ups."

Her eyes immediately darted towards the door while she inwardly wondered about how she had been able to miss it.

Gilgamesh did not relinquish the possibility of teasing her some more. "You were sleeping quite soundly when that event occurred."

Arturia's glare towards him intensified, but his smirk only widened in response. His wife's reactions were always a treat.

In that moment, Diarmuid and Kariya came out of Iri's room, and their ample smiles lifted Arturia's spirits more than anything had ever done before.

"Irisviel is fully healed," Diarmuid announced, his gaze steady and proud.

Kariya did not add a word, but the light in his eyes and the enormous smile on his face were more than enough to confirm that everything was fine. Gilgamesh went to stand next his wife as she bowed to both of them after allowing herself a second to take in her overwhelming happiness.

"Thank you. Thank you so much," she said, with what could almost be considered emotional emphasis, making it clear that she meant every word.

Kariya opened the door a little more, to let the other medics – whom Arturia thanked as well – leave the room, and at the same time inviting her to come inside. Diarmuid smiled at her, feelings visible in his eyes, yet he made a gesture with his hand towards Kariya to make him close the door.

"Ria, may I speak with you for just a moment?"

A little surprised, Arturia nodded, unable to stop worry from filling her once again. Next to her, she felt Gilgamesh coming a little closer, while Kariya went back inside the room and closed the door behind him as instructed.

Diarmuid glanced at Gilgamesh, but one stare from the blond man was enough to make it understood that he was not going to leave. Therefore, Diarmuid addressed his cousin, doing his best to ignore the other man's presence.

"Don't worry about Iri; she's completely out of danger. It will take her several months to regain the full use of her body and be discharged from the hospital, but she is now firmly on the road of a full recovery. What I wanted to address is something different."

He seemed to want to take a deep breath, but suppressed the urge. "Next week, I'll be on vacation; as soon as my free period is over, however, I'm going to be transferred to another hospital."

The Uruk couple raised an eyebrow almost simultaneously; Diarmuid found himself stared at by vaguely interested blood red eyes and vaguely concerned green ones.

Arturia was the first to speak.

"I am sorry to hear that, Diarmuid. Was it your choice? Did you wish to leave this environment?"

The black-haired man shook his head slightly.

"It's not that. You probably haven't heard of it because you don't care about these matters, but unfortunately some very unpleasant… rumours… have begun to circulate. I decided it was best to switch places before they became more serious and became a problem for my work."

Arturia's eyebrow rose higher.

"Rumours?"

Her tone was sharp, and Diarmuid found himself obliged to give a more specific explanation.

"About my relationship with the head nurse, Madam Sophia-Ri," he clarified, and Arturia's expression turned gentler, more sympathetic. "You know that there is no one for me aside from my Grainne, but it seems quite inconsequential to the people here."

Arturia nodded, for she understood what he meant. Sola-Ui, the head nurse, was extremely aggressive in her pursuit of the doctor, in spite of the fact that he already had a sweetheart; her behaviour must have prompted the rest of the staff to talk, and it must have become a very unfriendly situation for Diarmuid. In light of this, it was no surprise that he had decided that it was best to leave.

As for Gilgamesh, he couldn't care less about the fact that the man had problems with his reputation; he was more concentrated on the fact that he had a girlfriend and was leaving. That was very positive to hear, indeed.

If he was going to be on vacation and then leave, it meant that they were not going to see each other for quite a while. A ghost of melancholy veiled Arturia's expression; even though they were not particularly close, Diarmuid was still part of her family.

"I am sorry about this unlucky situation that forces you to leave. It was good to see you again, and your help during these months has been incomparable. I will never be able to express my thanks well enough. Please give my regards to Grainne… I wish you all the best in your new position."

Any other person would have hugged their relative. Not Arturia, as it wasn't her style. She extended her hand towards him, staring him straight in the eye, and gave him a tiny smile.

"Good luck, for everything." Her smile became a little wider. "And merry Christmas, Diarmuid."

He took her hand and gave it a firm shake, nodding at her.

"Thank you. Merry Christmas, dear cousin," he said affectionately.

When the handshake was over, his eyes wandered over to Arturia's husband. The two men measured each other until, to everyone's surprise, Gilgamesh gave him a short, formal nod.

"Your competence and professionalism have been much appreciated. Goodbye."

Knowing very well that just that small sentence meant a lot coming from someone like Gilgamesh, Diarmuid nodded in thanks.

"Thank you. Goodbye, Mr. Uruk."

He turned around and slowly walked away. Arturia immediately turned towards her husband, studying his face keenly. He arched an eyebrow at her examination.

"Yes, Arturia?"

She only shook her head briefly, a very small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. She hadn't missed the way he had behaved towards her cousin Diarmuid, but she decided not to make remarks on his unexpected civility.

"I suppose it's nothing."

He followed her inside her sister's room, where they were welcomed by a redheaded tornado who screamed his well-wishes at them.

" _Merry Christmas_ , Auntie Ria and Uncle Gilgamesh!"

Arturia picked the young boy up in her arms, kissing his forehead and bringing him to the bed where Iri was lying; she was awake with a restless Illya in her lap and Kariya sitting next to her, a fond smile on both their lips.

Arturia seemed to glow like a ray of sun as she came closer to her family, murmuring the traditional wishes to everyone and then kissing her sister's cheek with great affection, letting her see all her relief at knowing that things were finally getting better.

As Kariya confirmed that Sakura and Rin were going to arrive an hour later and formally announced that he was going to adopt them both, Arturia discreetly took out the bag full of small presents she had had the foresight of leaving hidden in Shirou's room the day before.

While she softly delivered the presents, with Shirou's eager help, Gilgamesh observed her, with his mind lost in thoughts he would have never expected to have.

She had married him to save her family, and her family was well now. He had married her because he needed a wife, and his prestige had grown because of that. But things had changed very much during their six months of marriage, more than he had ever thought possible.

And yet… he did not dislike those changes.

He had gotten far more from this deal than he had anticipated and, in spite of himself, he had realized that those moments in the presence of her family had played a part in it, too. When they were in public, they had to keep up a façade of fake appearances; with her family, even though they could not reveal the truth of their pact, they had no need for pretences.

That was somehow making it easier – and more unexpected – to be less guarded in what he did… and in what he said.

When he had spoken to young Shirou the day before, he had told the boy, without giving him an explanation, that his aunt was deserving of his gratitude. It had been almost unconsciously done, for he had not planned on letting that slip, even if it was nothing but the truth.

It seemed that she was now almost constantly on his mind.

He would never let go of her, Gilgamesh decided. She was becoming too important for him.

Too… _irreplaceable_.

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After a good night of sleep and after going to the office for a meeting and to wish everyone a merry Christmas – and glaring at Enkidu when he tried, not even so subtly, to guide Arturia towards a mistletoe next to which he had already lured Gilgamesh – the day after Christmas the Uruk couple went back to the hospital.

Gilgamesh had not offered an explanation as to why he was going with her, and Arturia had not asked for one. They had reached an unspoken truce on the oddity of some subjects: not talk about them at all.

He seemed to have his mind on something, as he was frowning in a manner that was hardly noticeable to anyone who didn't know him.

Arturia leaned slightly away from her nephew and niece when she did take notice of it, and quietly addressed him.

"What is the matter, Gilgamesh?"

His slight frown deepened, and his eyes darted between her and the baby in her arms. For some strange reason, he decided to give a reasonably honest answer to her inquiry.

"You are… sometimes perplexing, Arturia. You seem extremely intent on giving your family happiness, and you go to great lengths to ensure it. Altruism is in your nature, but don't you ever crave your _own_ happiness?"

He had had that thought for a while now, ever since he had considered with more seriousness the fact that Arturia had thrown away many opportunities by making the decision to give her all for her family. He was now bluntly asking her if she didn't ever get _tired_ of all the things she was doing.

But her reply was a greater surprise to him than he was ever going to be willing to admit. She tilted her head to the side, seeming both mildly confused and a little disbelieving.

"But don't you see, Gilgamesh? I _am_ happy now."

She was not smiling, since she so rarely did, but her eyes were so serene, so full of calm, pure _happiness_ that Gilgamesh could do nothing aside from simply stare at her.

There was no need for her to add anything else; the fact that she had spoken the truth was plain to see, and it was more than a little bewildering for him.

He did not say another word to her as the hours went by, sometimes stepping away to make or receive a phone call, but the rest of the time, he merely observed the people in the room. During most of the afternoon, his eyes remained glued to the blonde, green-eyed woman he had married.

He had known – and had seen – that she had loyalty for her family, but he had probably never seen how her loyalty was incredibly _pure_. Her love for her relatives was very deep, and very selfless.

It was inexplicably strange for him to be _fascinated_ by something like that, but against his better judgement, he couldn't deny that he was. Oh, he _definitely_ was.

He was not blind to the sacrifice she had willingly made to provide a better life for her family. It was something he could have looked down upon, actually: she had basically sold herself for the sake of people she cared about. But the little minx had still done it on her own terms, and she had managed to give them the happiness she wished them to have.

Staring at her, Gilgamesh found that he just couldn't tear his eyes away.

He had noticed it months before, but he had yet to get used to the way Arturia smiled at her nephew, at her sister and now at her niece. Perhaps it was because it was uncharacteristic: he could not recall a single instance, aside from the time she spent with her beloved family, in which her features lost that slight edge that made her always look so stern. There had never been an occasion in which her expression actually softened like that – except when she was around her family, around the people she cared about and fiercely intended to protect.

What was most unexpected for Gilgamesh as he observed her was the fact that he could not help but determining that such an expression, while not common for Arturia, suited her. In fact, it looked _good_ on her.

She almost appeared… sweet.

As soon as that completely irrational thought entered his mind, he firmly chased it out again. What was going on with him? He was behaving like a teenager with his crush.

Wait. His _crush?_

Gilgamesh silently scoffed at himself. It was certainly the fact that he was married to this woman that was making him have the most foolish of thoughts.

Against his wishes, those considerations kept him company for the rest of the day, rendering him uncommonly curt when Arturia later addressed him, and making their interactions minimal as they left to go back home.

He didn't even realize that she cooked dinner, at least until he found the plates on the table, and even then, he simply started eating without a word.

But he should have remembered that his wife was not the kind of person who accepted his moods without question, be it because of fear or respect. Oh, no. She was indeed capable, most of the time, of reading his moods, but she would not stand for his lack of manners, no matter the reason.

He was forced to snap out of his reverie when she finally threw her chopsticks on the table and released the glare that he realized in that moment she had been holding back for a while – probably since he had started being so terse.

"All right, Gilgamesh, out with it. What is your problem?"

He could not help blinking, even if only once. He may have been less courteous than required, but her display of anger was still unexpected.

It seemed like she did not care about it, as the fierceness of her glare only increased.

"You've never been the nicest person in the world, but today dealing with you has been absolutely impossible. What. Happened?"

It was clear that she was at the end of her patience, and she was demanding an explanation for his horrid behaviour towards her.

It was absolutely out of the question for him to actually _consider_ explaining himself though. First, because he was Gilgamesh Uruk and he didn't have to explain himself, period. And second, because _she_ was the indirect cause for his silently sullen mood, but in a manner that he would _never_ confess to her.

However, _Arturia_ was the one who was asking, and he knew that she would not back down without obtaining at least a reply. He had to give her one, as much as he was reluctant to do so. There was no possibility to avoid that.

With extreme unwillingness, he opened his mouth to deliver his words – when suddenly a very loud, roaring noise came from the kitchen.

Startled, they both shot to their feet. There was no one else in the house with them; Sakura, the cleaners and the housekeepers had been given leave to stay at home, since it was the day after Christmas.

The loud sound had been quite strange, as if something had broken quite abruptly and fallen down with a crash.

Their eyes met for a fraction of a second, but the next one, Gilgamesh was already walking towards the room without a word. He was taken by surprise, however, when she was at his side less than a moment later. Her expression made it clear that she would not accept an argument over the matter, and for once, he let it go, proceeding together with his wife to find out the source of the noise.

There was no one in the kitchen, but it was obvious from where the sound had come from, since a copious amount of water was dripping from the fridge's still closed doors.

Stifling an exclamation, Arturia immediately reached for the handles and opened it. The lights inside were off, and water was coming out from the top, slowly running down the inner walls. It was now apparent that the sound they had heard had been the fridge breaking down.

She pondered over the matter, staring at the large, now soaked, piece of furniture. However, before she could make a decision about what to do, she noticed him taking his phone out and beginning to dial a number.

Realizing whom he intended to call, she turned towards him abruptly.

"No! Don't call!"

He stopped dialing and looked at her with a raised eyebrow. She took a step closer to him, extending her hand towards the device.

"It's late in the evening and today is a holiday, Gilgamesh. The fridge breaking is not an emergency. Calling for maintenance or for the staff or anyone else can wait until morning."

His blood red eyes glared at her, and his voice came out sharply.

"Those people are at our disposal, and the fridge has to be fixed. They are our _staff_ , and they will do what they are paid for."

Arturia's voice was equally sharp.

"Yes, they are our staff, but this _is_ their free day, and it's not their fault this accident happened. In what way does being their boss give you the right to stop considering them human beings, Gilgamesh?"

She knew that her words were going to make an impact – especially since it wasn't the first time she used such an argument against him – but she didn't take the time to observe it.

Instead she went on, more calmly and with a slight hesitation in her tone, "In the morning, we will call to have the fridge repaired, but for tonight we can wait."

He stared at her for a brief while before very visibly suppressing a scoff.

"It can't wait that long, Arturia. The food inside the fridge will have to be thrown away by then, and while it's not a matter of buying more, this useless waste is not something I can tolerate."

She glanced at the food in the broken refrigerator and the fridge, knowing that there was not much time before it started to rot.

"I wouldn't accept it either, and you won't have to tolerate it. There is a solution for it."

He lifted an eyebrow, his eyes holding a no small amount of doubt.

"You believe you can fix the fridge on your own?"

She turned around, facing him directly. She had had enough. He had been frustrating to say the least throughout the day, and right now, he had crossed the line.

"I didn't say that – I don't have the necessary competence. But I will remind you, Gilgamesh, that even after all these months of marriage, I am still not used to having servants, cleaners or housekeepers do things for me. Since I am from a poor family, I have had to learn to rely on myself and my own knowledge when things go wrong. Let me put that to use now. If you are able to set your pride aside for a moment and lend me a hand, we can salvage most of the food at the very least – if not all of it."

Her eyes held an unspoken challenge. She had clearly not forgotten what they had been talking about before this unpleasant incident interrupted them, but she was wordlessly hinting that she was willing to let it slide if he helped her.

What she was asking was not a small thing, but Gilgamesh found that he had already made up his mind.

Slowly, very slowly, his head made a minimal movement towards the floor, before being lifted up in a very reluctant nod of acceptance.

Arturia's eyes seemed to relax slightly, and then a determined expression settled on her features. She rolled up her sleeves, took two aprons – handing one to him – and then glanced at the large windows, getting all business and starting to give orders.

"Very well. Now, we have been lucky – the fridge has broken down in this period of the year, winter, during which it's quite cold outside. Therefore, all we have to do is carefully wrap everything up in plastic bags, and then set them on the window sill. If we work quickly and carefully, it won't take long and we won't get wet, either. And all that will be left to do will then be mopping up the floor."

The quick efficiency of her reasoning was half-surprising, half-expected. Having carefully examined her during her first weeks of trial at Uruk Enterprises, Gilgamesh knew that it was the same method she used in her job.

He did not have the time to think more about it though, because she was already handing him freshly enveloped objects, instructing him to put them outside the window in a way that would not take up too much space.

As he complied with his wife's requests without a word – he did feel that it was a job for servants and he was slightly irritated at being given orders, but if Arturia was now doing such a thing as well, he supposed that he could humour her – the strangest feelings were fluttering through his chest.

There was certainly some annoyance, some surprise, some carefully hidden admiration for the way in which she was handling the situation, but he was truly taken aback at finding out that the one emotion that dominated over them all was _amusement_.

 _Fond_ amusement.

This special woman, his wife Arturia, had coaxed him into doing such a menial task and, instead of feeling offended, he was feeling _amused_. And the reason for it was that she was not taking advantage of the situation, but she was there working with him as well.

They were working on a problem and solving it _together_.

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Everything was back to normal the following morning. The fridge was repaired, almost all the food was salvaged, and the Uruk couple went to work after having a silent breakfast together. There was nothing that interested them in the newspapers, since they were all filled with anecdotes about Christmas, but neither had anything to complain about it.

On this day, they were going to work full hours at Uruk Enterprises, and Arturia would go see her family again only the following day. She had been neglecting her job for far too long, after all.

When she went back to the hospital, Arturia was glad to see that Iri was feeling much better. She was still extremely weak, of course, but she firmly insisted on taking care of Illya herself, and the blonde woman had a hard time in holding back a smile when witnessing the gentle way in which Kariya was discreetly there to help her.

Shirou's readiness to help had also been somewhat a surprise, but the way he often stole glances in Gilgamesh's direction told Arturia that her nephew was determined to be on his best behaviour in front of his uncle, to obtain his approval.

As strange as it was to realize it, her husband had become more or less a hero in Shirou's eyes, someone for her nephew to look up to, and she couldn't find anything to object about that. The boy's impractical ideas about 'saving everyone' that had worried her in the past few months seemed to have undergone a change; they had not disappeared, but after the talk the two had had, her nephew had seemed to start taking practicality instead of idealism into firmer consideration. Arturia just hoped Shirou was not going to try to imitate other things that were typical of Gilgamesh – like his arrogance, for example.

She had, however, more pressing matters to be worried about. On the occasion of New Year's, she and Gilgamesh were going to attend a formal event held for the 'World's Celebrities' in the middle of Tokyo, in one of the most ancient buildings, where a large amount of the most influential people on the planet were going to be assembled.

As far as her wardrobe was concerned, her husband had already confirmed that he had chosen the right outfit for them both, but what worried Arturia was the presence of the press and the immense quantity of venomous people that was going to fill the place. It wasn't going to pleasant, that was for sure.

However, contrary to her inauspicious expectations, things went rather smoothly.

In fact, when compared to the other, much more hectic events she had participated in, this one ended up being almost bland. She realized that perhaps it was also because she felt more confident in her role, and speaking to a great amount of people with composed civility was becoming progressively easier.

She remained with Gilgamesh most of the evening. They did not talk much, aside from her making a teasing remark when he showed some moderate gentlemanly behaviour by handing her a glass of champagne as soon as it was midnight.

Right after that, all the guests were invited to the terrace to admire the fireworks, intended to celebrate the end of a year and the start of the new one.

She did not know what exactly happened then, and neither of them spoke about it later. There were no cameras pointed at them, since it was dark outside and everyone was staring at the sky in raptured admiration, however it was freezing outside.

Arturia shivered slightly, unintentionally, because her coat had been given to the catering staff as they had entered the place, and the crisp winter air was much colder than she had anticipated.

To her complete and utter befuddlement, Gilgamesh passed an arm around her shoulders and then pulled her entire body to him, making her back settle against his chest.

It was not done forcefully, nor possessively, and not aware of the precise reason for it but knowing that it wasn't for appearance's sake since no one would have noticed anyway, Arturia found herself pressed to him, shielded from the cold air of the night and acutely feeling the warmth of his body.

She did not know when it had happened among the past weeks, but she didn't find it particularly hard to be so close to her husband anymore. Somewhere along the line, she had gotten used to it.

She decided, even if she was tense, not to comment nor shy away from him. On the contrary, as he held her even closer when the fireworks started, she leaned into him, allowing a little more contact between them than a second before.

She would have liked to be able to convince herself that it was only because of the cold, but while she wasn't going to tell _him_ , she would not lie to herself.

She did not mind being so close to him, in his arms, for she felt oddly at ease.

It felt… fine.

They simply remained still in that position, silently staring at the sparks of light that brightened the sky, one after the other, welcoming the New Year.

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	35. Dream Kiss

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...

Resuming the normal activities in the New Year was something Arturia put her heart into. She intended to do her best in her every task because, compared to the previous year, so many things had changed.

Iri was slowly recovering her strength after going through a tough pregnancy and an even tougher illness, but she was finally healing. Physically, it was going to take time; the disease she had been diagnosed with was no longer present, being now fully cured, but it had weakened her body, and it was going to take many months of therapy and exercise to get her back on her feet. Emotionally, after Kiritsugu's death, she could not deny that both her sister and Kariya's support had played an important role in helping her start to move on. Shirou had had to see his father die and his mother go through a depressed state and three long months of coma, but now he had her always there with him whenever he needed her, and he had a little sister as well.

As for herself, Arturia considered, she had a job that she liked and, that was right, she had gotten married to save her family. And her family was safe now.

The relief that filled her every time she thought about it was impossible to express in words, but she knew that she needed a little more time to fully realize it in her subconscious.

She knew, because she still had nightmares about the horrific 'what ifs'.

…

*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*

…

 _She bolted up from the bed, her heart slamming wildly against her rib cage as the image of a crying Shirou and a dead Iri slowly faded from her blurred field of vision._

 _She realized she had only been dreaming, and focused on calming her breathing. She was covered in sweat and a few uncontrolled tears had flown down her cheeks._

 _A cool, strangely familiar hand was on her forehead, and she unconsciously leaned into the touch, which became firmer and slowly went down to her cheek to caress her along her jawline briefly, to her relief not catching the wetness of the tears. When the contact ceased, she felt disappointed, but she had regained enough coherence to keep her instinctual sounds of protest from escaping._

 _The touch was back after a while, a damp towel going over her face quite carefully because of the darkness. She continued to breathe slowly, calming herself._

 _Once her inhaling and exhaling had become more regular, she heard Gilgamesh's voice, sounding very low, almost like a whisper._

" _Nightmare?"_

 _Her reply was short, and she was glad to hear her voice sounding quite normal._

" _Yes… but it's nothing major."_

 _She was making it clear to him that he did not have the right to probe, and she hoped he understood the implicit message._

 _He did not comment, and simply pressed the towel into her hand. His own hand was briefly back on her cheek, and she was so surprised that she didn't push him away._

" _Good. Drink some water and go back to sleep. It's still early."_

 _She took the towel and dried her face without making a sound, leaning then back into the pillows. Her heart was still beating incredibly fast, and after those horrible visions about Iri's death, she felt as if her entire being was made of glass: a wrong move, and she would shatter…_

 _The hand back on her forehead took her by surprise, and her eyes shot open, even though she was unable to see anything in the complete darkness._

 _His voice seemed to come from very close to her ear – where, exactly, was he…?_

" _Whatever you dreamed, it was a dream. It was not real. Try to sleep some more."_

 _Without another word, he was gone, presumably back to his bed to sleep as well._

 _She remained long lying there, awake, no longer tormented by the memories of the nightmare, but confused by her husband's sudden closeness in the darkness._

…

*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*

…

"Ria?"

Arturia shook herself out from her brief escapade into the memories of her last nightmare, and made an effort to focus on her sister, trying to smile.

They were sitting in the hospital room, and on this day the white-haired woman had managed to put herself in a sitting position on her own, without help.

Iri was not fooled by that attempted expression, and raised an eyebrow at her. Together with her strength, her wit and sharpness were coming back, too. Already a month had passed after Christmas, after all, and she could be as tenacious as her sister.

The next instant, however, worry appeared on her face.

"Ria, what's wrong? You have bags underneath your eyes, and it looks as if you are getting sick."

The blonde woman shook her head.

"That's not the case. I am just having trouble sleeping well lately."

Iri's eyes immediately turned a dark, stormy kind of red, and there was an almost ferocious glint in them, one she did not have even the rare times in which she was forced to scold Shirou.

"Ria – if _that man_ is doing anything he shouldn't or overstepping his boundaries–…"

A bit amused by that unexpected reaction, Arturia shook her head.

"No, Iri, Gilgamesh has nothing to do with this. I am… having nightmares."

It was hard to admit this, but she had always told her sister the truth, when possible, and that wasn't about to change.

Her green eyes were filled with disquiet as she admitted, "I am worried, because in the past, every time it looked like things were going fine, a worse calamity was there to fall upon us. It's a foolish thought, I know, but I can't seem to get rid of the remnants of this unreasonable sense of foreboding."

Iri studied her face, remaining silent for a while. She was glad about the fact that Ria confided in her, but she was having difficulties in finding the right words of comfort.

It was Ria who had had to face all the hardships of the past months; it was Ria who had seen one bad thing after the other happen; it was Ria who had faced each and every one of them and struggled yet managed to find a solution. It was _Ria_ who had sacrificed her future by getting married without love, and who had to deal every single day with the stranger who was now her husband.

Iri had not been there to share those burdens with her younger sister. Iri could not understand how much everything had affected Ria, and how much it was _still_ affecting her, making her feel wary even when things appeared to be fine.

She could offer comfort, maybe, but the words would have been empty, because she couldn't truly understand what Ria had gone and was going through.

What she _could_ do, however, was show and prove to her that things _were_ well. That was likely to be what Ria truly needed to begin to _accept_ that things were fine.

Therefore, Iri smiled gently. Perhaps it was time to address something she had neglected to do a couple of months before.

"Do you know, Ria, the reason for which I decided to give Illya my surname?"

Arturia shook her head to indicate her hesitantly negative answer, and observed her expression. She knew her sister well, and understood what she was most likely trying to do.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't wish to, Iri."

Irisviel smiled a little more.

"But I _do_ wish to tell you, even if it will perhaps seem a ridiculous reason to you. I adopted Shirou together with Kiritsugu, and he was _our_ son. Illya is our daughter, too… but her birth will not bring my husband back."

Tears appeared in Iri's eyes, even though she attempted to hold them back. "My daughter will not bring him back. I will always love Kiritsugu, and I can't stop missing him, and I wish he was here more than anything in the world… but he isn't." The tears were now running down her cheeks, unrestrained. "As much as I wish it, Kiritsugu is not here with me anymore. I have to finally grow up – and accept it."

"Oh, Iri." Arturia's voice was soft, and she cradled her crying sister to her, and Iri let herself be held as silent, shaky sobs ran through her body, making her clutch at her clothes helplessly.

After a brief while, she pulled away a little though, smiling through the tears.

"That's why… I gave her my surname. It's the beginning of my acceptance." Her smile turned a little wry. "Don't worry, Ria… I will not _use_ my daughter to accept my husband's death. This is just a step I needed to take. But when Illya grows up, I will give her the possibility to choose the surname she prefers – as I will do with Shirou."

Then she sat a little straighter, and Arturia discreetly handed her a box of tissues. While drying her tears, Iri gave her sister a determined look.

"I will get better, Ria. I will get well enough to stand up from this bed and look after my children on my own. I will take up my role as a mother and raise them to the best of my abilities." She stared at her even more firmly. "And I will find a job. Not as a maid anymore – I have a degree in something I love, and it's high time I put it to use."

There was fire in her eyes as she pronounced her final words. "I can't ever repay you for what you have done for me, Ria. But I can make sure that the sacrifices you made won't go to waste. _I swear it_."

Since in that precise moment Kariya entered the room, followed by Sakura, Rin and Shirou, they were unable to conclude the conversation. Perhaps there was no need for it: Arturia's eyes were expressive, and Iri knew after all how to read them.

Somehow, what she had been told was enough, and from that night and all the nights that followed, Arturia was no longer plagued by apocalyptic dreams about the future of her family.

By the look she caught Gilgamesh giving her a few times in the morning, she knew that she wasn't the only one who had noticed that she was no longer screaming in her sleep, even though he did not bring it up nor did he talk about it.

It seemed that there were more and more things that she and her husband did not want – or, rather, _did not need_ – to talk about.

…

*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*

…

February came and went by very quickly, the only significant change being Doctor Diarmuid's absence. A new head doctor had not been appointed yet, and that caused a certain disorganization inside the structure.

After Gilgamesh and Arturia Uruk had coldly informed the hospital of their _displeasure_ at such a display of incompetence, however – especially since Arturia suspected the slowness may be Madam Sophia-Ri's doing, who still hoped for Diarmuid to come back – things started to move quickly and finally a new medic was assigned at the beginning of March.

However, to her dismay, that put Arturia in a new tight spot, because the new medic seemed to have a very odd obsession with her.

In his profession, he appeared to be adequately competent; but the way he stared at her and seemed fixated on her actions and continuously – morbidly almost – looked at her the entire time, made Arturia certain that Doctor Gilles de Rais was not a person to be trusted.

He avoided saying anything when she was with Iri, but he found excuses to talk about 'important matters' outside the room, alone with her, and his behaviour, comments and clear attempts at flirting were very unwelcome to her.

When he spoke to her, he made ample movements with his hands, and used them as an excuse to try to touch her arms, her hands, wherever he could reach. He also gave strange monologues regarding religion – or at least, his _personal_ religion – talking about a 'holy promised maiden', and the way he gave her pointed stares made her able to understand that he seemed to believe _her_ to be that person.

In fact, she had proof of it once he told her that he considered this holy person to have a name, Jeanne, and after that, she heard him refer to her as 'Jeanne' under his breath more than once.

Kariya, kind Kariya, had somewhat an inkling of his boss's strange inclination, and had tried to keep him occupied because, even though he didn't know the extent of the fixation, he had noticed that something was not quite right. But there was unfortunately only so much he could do – and it was not his job in any case, the blonde woman decided.

Had it been any other person, Arturia would have given a direct piece of her mind and firmly put an end to everything. But this was the doctor who was in charge of her sister and her niece's health, and no one could foresee how he could react if she clearly told him to back off.

Moreover, she could not forget about the pact she had made with Gilgamesh; Doctor de Rais could take any kind of lies or slander to the press if she was too harsh towards him, putting their stability as a couple at risk. She would not allow anyone to try to jeopardize her marriage in such a way, not after everything that had already happened.

But the fact remained: the head medic of the hospital seemed creepily taken with her, and his behaviour was worrisome. And, as much as she loathed admitting it, she could not deal with him on her own.

She was no longer a free woman who could make her decisions and pay the consequences alone if she did wrong; after the contract she had made, others were going to be involved because of her choices as well, and this situation was no different.

She pondered over what was going on, and she figured out a possible solution. She did not like it very much, as her independent nature would have preferred managing this on her own, but she would have disliked it even more if she didn't do anything.

She _had_ to do _something_ , because otherwise the possible unpleasant consequences could go on to Iri, Shirou, Illya and even Kariya. She did not want them to be involved into something nasty like that if she could avoid it, therefore she didn't mention anything to her sister. As she had realized in the past, some – at first rare, but now an increasing amount of – things could not be shared with her, not only to spare her worry, but also to protect her.

There was a person, instead, who _had_ to be told about the medic's forward actions, and that person was also the one who would help her settle things. Arturia was feeling reluctant about going ahead with her plan, but she knew, logically, that speaking with her husband was the best solution.

She was somewhat irritated about it though. She couldn't even handle a situation like this on her own, and only because she was married and had a contract to respect. Had she not been married, she would have taken care of things in a different way, probably causing an uproar at the hospital in order to get rid of the man.

But so far, it was indeed true that he had not crossed any lines, and she had to be careful in her actions, because anything she did would reflect on her private life. And the reporters, while no longer constantly around, had most certainly not disappeared and would be ready to jump on anything she did in order to make the headlines.

She came back home very tired after a rather demanding day. She had had an unusually tedious time at work in the morning, paperwork having increased, and the meeting she had later attended had been quite long. The time with the children in the afternoon had been taxing, because it had ended in a quarrel between Iri and Shirou when the boy's mother had lectured him about a thoughtlessly rude comment he had made that had offended Rin.

It had taken Arturia all her patience to reason with both her sister and her stubborn nephew, while Kariya had had no choice but to wisely and rightfully keep out of the discussion between mother and son, and Illya loudly yelled in the background. To top it all, the disturbing doctor had made a particularly lascivious comment right when she had been leaving the building.

Arturia cursed mentally as she lethargically ate the dinner that Sakura had cooked. Only because of the important meeting, she had been dressed with more elegance than usual; Gilles de Rais had of course noticed and, very arrogantly, he had thought that she had done it _to impress him_.

Not even Gilgamesh was that full of himself, for heaven's sake, and she had always considered her husband to be the king of arrogance!

Speaking of her husband, she had not noticed that his blood red eyes had been on her during the entire dinner, at least until he addressed her as she was about to let herself fall on the mattress after automatically pushing the beds apart.

"Once again, you look stressed."

She was too tired to think much of it, but still, the warmth that surged in her at realizing that he actually cared enough to notice surprised her. Perhaps just flippantly, but he had noticed and inquired after it nonetheless.

She shook her head briefly, crawling under the covers.

"I'll explain tomorrow. I'm too tired now."

Not long after that, she was sound asleep, not aware of the fact that his searching eyes were narrowed at her, displeased about the fact that she had not told him what was bothering her, because something was _obviously_ bothering her. His wife wasn't particularly good at hiding her distress, at least not from him.

The next morning, Arturia was feeling much better after a good night of rest, and she went to have breakfast serenely. After Sakura bid both her and her husband – with some nervousness – a good day and left, the blonde woman threw a look in Gilgamesh's direction.

He was reading the newspaper in a leisured, bored manner, which meant that there was nothing alarming in there.

Keeping her voice as measured and casual as possible, she asked him, "Gilgamesh, would you happen to have a few hours to spare this afternoon to come with me to visit my sister?"

Taking a sip from his coffee, he nodded briefly.

"It can be arranged."

Glad that he had agreed without question, a small sigh of relief escaped her… and that was her mistake.

He immediately noticed that uncharacteristic reaction and his eyes narrowed at her.

"Arturia, you wouldn't usually be relieved about the idea of me coming with you. What are you not telling me?"

Trying to stall, she replied, "Well, I did ask you to accompany me without knowing if you would agree…"

He only stared at her, waiting. He was not going to let her get away with her weak attempts at an explanation.

Even though she had been preparing to tell him the truth, she still detested having to pronounce the following words.

"There is a new head doctor at the hospital, the one who has replaced my cousin Diarmuid. His behaviour is forward and, well, not what I consider acceptable. I think that showing up with my husband could be enough to put an end to it."

Gilgamesh had stopped sipping on his coffee, and now he narrowed his eyes at her.

"What exactly are you implying, Arturia?"

She had started, now she had to finish and explain things clearly. She held his gaze firmly.

"I do not like the doctor's unpleasant attempts at flirting with me, but he is responsible for my family's health, and I don't know what else to do to make his shameless advances stop without accidentally involving the press."

Gilgamesh's sudden change in expression, however, took her aback – he looked positively enraged.

"Why did you not inform me of this immediately!?"

She lifted an eyebrow, surprised. Did he actually… aside from being angered, did he seem genuinely _concerned?_

Her tone wasn't defensive, but there was some wariness in it nonetheless.

"The doctor started working here only last week."

His expression became stern.

"I'm coming with you today whether you like it or not."

She narrowed her eyes at him, beginning to get irritated.

"I did just ask for your presence, Gilgamesh – surely you haven't already forgotten."

Green clashed against crimson, and then they both gave in.

"Very well. Come to the office after lunch."

She could not stop herself from rolling her eyes.

"I will already _be_ at the office the entire morning, Gilgamesh."

"Then I will come to have lunch with you and we'll go to the hospital afterwards," he shot back.

She had been about to take a sip from her tea, but there was something in his tone that made her pause and give him a startled glance.

He was not behaving like his usual self. There was something more… more… _possessive_ – yes, that was the word – in the way he had said that.

Her eyes accidentally landed on the clock behind him, and every thought about his strange behaviour flew out of her mind. She was going to be late for the meeting with the directors if she didn't hurry.

…

*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*

…

After going to have lunch in a small place near the offices, Arturia and Gilgamesh went on to the hospital with the limousine. When they entered the building, she noticed how he was keeping closer to her than usual.

In fact, as soon as they passed by the reception desk, he did not keep their arms linked as usual, but freed his arm to put it around her waist, not too invasively, but making sure that the message was clear for anyone who might be watching: she was with _him_.

Again she was surprised by the fact that the gesture did not bother her any longer. She had truly gotten used to physical closeness with her husband, it wasn't hard at all to feel his body next to hers, in her personal space.

It was because it had become a habit, of course. Just _habit_. Logically, it could not be anything else.

Focused once again, Arturia greeted the head nurse who was passing by, but Sola-Ui did not do more than incline her head, very briefly, in the barest civility she could bring herself to express.

As they walked towards Iri's room, in reply to Gilgamesh's almost indiscernible movement of the eyebrow that indicated his inquiry, she explained, in a low voice, "Madam Sophia-Ri is very bitter at me – she believes I am the reason why Diarmuid left."

The blond man did not attempt to hold back his scoff. He was perfectly aware of the fact that the head nurse herself was the real cause for the mongrel's departure, and he could only find her resentment absurd.

"While that is ludicrous, it's even more ludicrous to try to understand what she even saw in that man to look at him in the first place," he commented disdainfully.

Arturia did not hide her amusement at his words.

"Why, Gilgamesh, would you have preferred her looking at _you?_ "

She had just been jesting, making a sarcastic comment to irk her husband, but she had not expected him to give her a searching glance, a teasing glint appearing in his eyes.

"Would _you_ have preferred that, Arturia?"

Together with the obvious intent of starting a banter, his underlying seriousness stole her breath away. What… what was he…?

Unable to look at him, her eyes flickered away – and she saw Doctor de Rais slowly walking down the long corridor, coming towards them.

Gilgamesh saw that her expression had unconsciously hardened before her eyes came back on him, and could make an accurate guess for its reason when she gave him a slight nod.

From the corner of his eye, he measured the still approaching medic. It was time to put the bloated mongrel in his place. _No one_ had the right to come near his wife.

Except himself, of course.

Not wasting any time in pondering over the implications of his thought, Gilgamesh turned towards Arturia, surrounding her more securely with his arms and pulling her close to him. He knew that the perfect moment had arrived.

Leaning forward, he quietly murmured in her ear, "Let me kiss you."

She immediately understood what he intended to do and knew that it was indeed a plausible and actually good solution; besides, in the contract, they had agreed on public kisses 'when necessary', and the present occasion satisfied that requirement.

Nevertheless, she was still startled – not by his actions or his words, but by the low and strangely soft tone in which he pronounced them. She was also reminded of the last time she had been this physically close to him, at this same hospital, when he had _not_ asked before kissing her when she had been about to break down, but she forced herself ignore that thought.

In an almost imperceptible manner, she nodded, indicating her consent, and his arms tightened their hold around her waist before his mouth moved from ghosting over her ear to her cheek, to her chin and then finally reached its destination.

The kiss started as chastely as all the others they had shared in the past, their lips touching in what could be no more than a simple caress, and Arturia was certain that it would remain that way–

–until she suddenly felt him pull her even closer, and then there was something probing at her lips.

Confused, she parted them in instinct, only to gasp when she felt his tongue immediately enter her mouth, eagerly and possessively but – quite oddly, indeed – _gently_ exploring and tasting every place he could reach.

Her sounds of mild protest were silenced by his own mouth, at least until she stopped remaining still in his embrace. Without being completely sure about what she was doing, her eyes fluttered close and her arms, no longer limp at her sides, slowly went up to touch his face and carefully pull him closer to her as well.

He felt her movements, therefore deepened his assault on her mouth, and her mind started to get lost in the… strangely pleasant sensations that the contact was evoking in her. One of her hands went through his golden hair, cradling his head closer as she began to tentatively move her tongue against his.

In something that she considered a very uncharacteristic move on his part, he didn't act forcefully, he instead let her take her time in feeling her way around him; he waited for her tongue to trace his, and then cautiously make its way into his mouth, travelling around in curiosity.

As soon as she began to feel more confident in what she was doing, however, he took control again. One of his arms remained around her waist, tightening slightly as it kept her body firmly pressed to his, while the other found her cheek, caressing it softly before sinking into her bound hair, pressing their forms even closer together.

By then, she was far too gone to care; in truth, _she_ was holding him to her with even more strength than he was–

The sudden sound of someone loudly coughing and then clearing his throat finally made them separate. Arturia blinked several times, dazed, her breath laboured and her arms still around Gilgamesh. She sluggishly let them fall back to her sides, breaking the very heated look she was exchanging with her husband.

What exactly… had just happened…?

She had already forgotten the reason for which they had kissed in the first place, but it was slowly coming back to her.

His blood red eyes, with his black pupils much, _much_ more dilated than usual, were observing her keenly, and he did not release her from his embrace. With reluctance, he finally tore his gaze away from his wife to deliberately glare at the mongrel that had dared interrupt them.

He didn't even make an _attempt_ to suppress a scowl. In front of them was indeed the offensive doctor, the one who had been behaving flirtatiously towards Arturia.

The large-eyed man seemed torn between awkwardness and embarrassment, and blinked owlishly.

" _Yes?_ " Gilgamesh sneered, not bothering hiding his extreme discontent.

Doctor Gilles de Rais seemed to find his countenance again, and cleared his throat pompously.

"Your behaviour in this place… is… er… offensive," the doctor said, not managing to hide his discomfort under that piercing crimson gaze.

Gilgamesh's aura suddenly turned menacing, and he smirked darkly.

"There is _no regulation_ prohibiting my wife and I from kissing here, and even if there was, I don't see how that would be any of _your_ concern," he slowly pronounced, indifferent to the doctor's uneasy expression, still not releasing Arturia from his possessive hold.

The doctor didn't know how to react anymore, especially after the blonde woman turned towards him as well, and both people were staring at him – glaring at him – with their faces clearly conveying that they were quite annoyed at having been interrupted.

Doctor de Rais had a completely lost expression, not knowing where to look and at the same time obviously searching for an excuse to leave. But the married couple did not help him with that; they merely stared at him, coldly and wordlessly.

Unable to bear the aura that was clearly screaming ' _your presence is superfluous_ ', the doctor mumbled something incoherent, probably a few words to take his leave, and walked away hurriedly.

His pride was more wounded than he cared to admit, at having discovered in one shot that the woman he had been lewdly interested in was not only married, but also very happily, if the passionate kiss he had been witness to was anything to go by. She was far too pretty to be with that rude man, he angrily thought; but she very obviously did not care for him, Gilles, as he had previously fantasized. After seeing the contempt with which she had stared at him, he could no longer delude himself.

His ego thoroughly flattened, he could only huff dismissively. He had many other patients that day, and none of the nurses and doctors were naïve enough to comment on his irritable mood for the rest of his shift.

While the doctor was leaving, Arturia leaned against Gilgamesh's chest in case he turned around to look at them – and she inadvertently found herself listening to her husband's oddly fast-beating heart. She told herself that feeling his heartbeat was unavoidable, as she was leaning on him just for appearances' sake.

As soon as the footsteps disappeared, she pulled away from him, looking him in the eye.

Those blood red, usually haughty and amused orbs were back to being peculiarly unreadable and… no, it was impossible. Was that a smile tugging at the corner of his lips? A real _smile?_

"Gilgamesh…? Are you… _smiling_ at me?"

His smile became full this time, and he leaned forward until their noses were almost touching, and he refused to break their gaze for even a second.

"And why should I not smile at my wife?"

Her expression held mild confusion.

"Because… you never smile?"

It came out more like a question instead of a statement, and he could not suppress a low chuckle.

"I do smile, Arturia–"

She interrupted him, with uncharacteristic gentleness.

"No, you don't smile. I've seen you smirk, grin, or snicker. But you _never_ smile."

He looked at her, in mild astonishment. Her eyes held both seriousness and curiosity, and she was studying his face quite intensely.

Suddenly she said, "It becomes you, Gilgamesh. When you smile, your face loses its unforgiving edge, and your eyes look like warm fires instead of dark blood pools."

The centre of her observations – his eyes – appeared to widen slightly at those words, and he looked at her in amazement. Would she ever stop saying unexpected things and always surprise him?

"What was that?" he carefully asked, beginning to become _unsure_ if he had actually heard her right and not made it up in his mind.

She seemed to realize what she had said and her cheeks reddened. That was enough confirmation for him, and a hint of a smirk curved his lips upwards again.

He would not forget so soon that she had just spontaneously complimented him. His smirk widened.

She noticed his expression and made an effort not to glare at him. Why had she not kept her mouth shut! There had been no need to stroke his ego like that, and now he was certainly going to use her words against her and make teasing comments on them.

Instead, he didn't say anything, just kept smirking at her. And staring. Heavens, the staring. Would he ever stop staring at her in such a manner? If she had something on her face, he should just tell her and leave her alone.

She knew very well that she didn't have anything on her face though, and she was being childish in coming up with such excuses. As he kept smirking – and _staring_ – it obviously fell upon her to resume the conversation, especially since he had asked her a question she was most certainly _not_ going to answer.

"Never mind," she muttered with some repressed anger, looking away.

Still not meeting his eyes, she added, "In any case, thank you… for your cooperation. I think this display was enough to make the doctor finally keep his distance."

He did not reply until she looked at him again, and by then, his expression had turned unreadable.

"It was part of the agreement after all… surely you haven't already forgotten, dear wife?"

Arturia lost her patience. His teasing and using her words against her constantly got on her nerves, and she deserved to say something back. If they were not able to have a conversation without getting confrontational, then she would stand her ground.

Her eyes narrowed.

"I don't recall kissing me breathlessly like there was no tomorrow as being part of the contract, _dear husband_."

Her expression challenging, she only looked at him long enough to see his surprise, just before he managed to hide it behind his usual haughty expression, and then she turned around.

"I'll go see Iri now."

Gilgamesh could not subdue a tiny smirk. Not giving her the time to go far, he appeared at her side, slipped his hand in hers and smoothly fell into step with her.

"I'm coming with you."

At her wary expression, he only squeezed her fingers and leaned closer to her.

"She's my sister now as well – at least in the eyes of the law."

He had never acknowledged such a thing, at least to her. She tried to study his face as they neared the room, but she was unable to do so, as he had put on a mask of lazy boredom that made it impossible to guess his thoughts.

But there was definitely something strange about him, she had not imagined it this morning and on the previous occasions. He was more… _possessive_.

She did not however get the chance to study him more carefully, because not long afterwards – they had just greeted everyone as the entire family was there – Gilgamesh received a phone call that required him to go back to the offices to settle a few problems that had arisen. During the past weeks he had been busy with the expansion of Uruk Enterprises in Australia, and his workload had increased.

Taking her by surprise, he grasped and squeezed her hand briefly once again before leaving.

Arturia was left wondering if he had done it because Kariya was present, or if he had done it for reasons that she could not comprehend… or maybe, that she _was refusing_ to comprehend.

…

*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*

…

Kariya had just left the room because it was time for Iri to nurse Illya, and he was too polite and respectful to stay for such an occurrence, and he probably wouldn't have stayed even if Iri had been accepting of it. Shirou was in his room having lessons with a private tutor, while Rin was at school and Sakura was at the Uruk mansion to start preparing dinner.

Arturia helped Iri sit straighter as she held Illya to her breast, and busied herself with changing the linens in the baby's cradle in the meantime.

Suddenly, Iri spoke, looking up from her child to stare at her sister.

"Your husband's behaviour wasn't his usual one today."

Arturia paused briefly in her movements, and then resumed her activities. She did not have the slightest intention of speaking about the kissing encounter, but she could not feign complete indifference. Not with Iri.

"How so?" she asked, mild interest in her voice.

Iri shrugged lightly, careful in keeping Illya close to her.

"He seemed very reluctant about leaving you out of his sight for even a second."

The blonde woman raised an eyebrow. What was Iri suggesting? Deciding to leave the matter be, she only replied with a noncommittal shrug.

But Iri was not going to stand for Arturia's usual dismissals when her husband came up in conversations; she did not want to pry, but she wasn't going to keep quiet. If her sister decided not to answer, she had every right not to – like she had refused to reply to other questions in the past – but that was the point. Iri could still _ask_ ; no one forbade her to do that.

So she put forth her blunt inquiry.

"Ria, what is he for you?"

Arturia froze. This – this was a difficult question.

Wait – _why_ was it so difficult?

Having finished changing the linens, the woman went back to sit next to her sister's bed. Perhaps she did have the right words for her reply.

"He is for me what I am for him… a-a means to an… end."

But even as she pronounced those words, the ones she herself had spat at Gilgamesh many months before – almost _a year_ before – she knew that they sounded empty and strained, and she couldn't avoid hesitating and stuttering on them.

They may have been honest at the beginning, but now… now they weren't true anymore.

Iri was looking at her inquisitively, and Arturia knew that her sister was waiting. If there was something about the white-haired woman that was certain, it was that her patience would never fail her.

Arturia swallowed, suddenly conscious of the lump in her throat. When had that lump actually appeared…?

She was as direct as possible.

"He's… just… my husband. The details are a little more complicated, but that's truly all… in a nutshell."

Perhaps her face betrayed her troubled thoughts more than she realized, or maybe her reluctance to insist on the subject was making her unable to explain herself properly. Be as it may, Iri did not press her further, and finished nursing Illya in silence, just moments before Shirou came in from the other room, his lessons finished for the day.

For the rest of the afternoon, both sisters were too busy with the children to talk more about the subject they had briefly addressed before.

But Arturia's treacherous mind kept going back to that place outside in the corridor, where she and Gilgamesh had shared a moment that, in anyone else's eyes, would have been considered of intimacy. When she was certain that no one was looking at her, she allowed her fingers to briefly brush against her lips.

They had not been kissing in this occasion; they had been _making out_.

Even though she clearly remembered writing in the contract that there was going to be nothing more than _chastely_ touching each other's lips, she did not feel the need to complain about it or remind Gilgamesh of it – although their kissing had been _anything but_ chaste.

She sighed inwardly. Even though it made her feel a tad embarrassed, she now knew one thing for certain – and wanted to firmly slap herself at the realization.

She could not deny that she would not mind kissing her husband like that again.

...

...


	36. Ring Travel

**A/N** : thank you to Jolanikati for editing :))

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...

After a quiet dinner that evening, Arturia spoke with Sakura as usual, briefly giving her instructions for breakfast the following day. When she later entered the bedroom, she found the beds already separated and Gilgamesh coming out of the bathroom in that same moment.

Taking her bathrobe, she went to take a shower but before she could close the door behind herself he told her, "That mongrel of a doctor will soon be under investigation. Some of his past activities are not clear, and he will be suspended from work starting tomorrow."

He then stared at her pointedly. "In three days, when the new head medics will be appointed – there will be two, not just one anymore – we are going to be at the hospital _together_."

His tone did not leave any room for argument, and since Arturia did not intend to start one, as she didn't find anything to object to in such a plan, she simply nodded. It was obvious that he had to have somehow used his influence to intervene in the matter.

When she came out of the shower and went to fold her clothes, she was surprised to see Gilgamesh come to her 'side of the room', as he had denominated it a long time before. Without a word, his hand reached for her and he took the necklace she was wearing, the one holding the ring – the _wedding_ ring.

She remained perfectly still as he opened the clasp and let the ring out of it, knowing unconsciously that he didn't mean her harm by being so close to her, choosing to wait to find out what he had in mind.

He took her left hand and stared at her intently.

"I would ask you to wear it on your finger from now on. You are a married woman – everyone should know it, and this will clarify your position."

His eyes, his voice and his entire expression were unreadable, but the seriousness in his request was unmistakable, and something made her nervous about it. Since she couldn't decipher him, she couldn't pinpoint what it was, but she wasn't able to fully hold his gaze with firmness, as she had always been capable of doing until this day.

Maybe it was the fact that it was a request and not an order that was making it so strange.

Whatever it was, she had no time to examine it.

She was about to take the ring and put it on, wordlessly giving her acceptance, but he anticipated her. Reading her consent in her eyes, he slid the ring onto her finger, quite easily and slightly more gently than he had done with the engagement ring back when they had first been discussing the contract. As he did that, she could see that on his hand his own ring was already in place.

She did nothing but stay immobile as he went back to his side of the room.

It was odd to suddenly realize that she could have solved the problem at the hospital in another way; instead of asking Gilgamesh to come with her to the hospital, to make it clear that she was married, she could have simply worn her wedding ring on her finger, which would have sent the same message.

But she had not even thought about it; she had preferred speaking plainly with Gilgamesh and settle the matter _together_ with him.

Arturia looked down. She had her wedding ring on her finger now, in a visible place. She had actually had it around her neck for months, but now, she was _truly_ wearing it. It was there, staring at her from her left ring finger.

It was a true reminder of the fact that she was married. She did not actually need one, as she had slowly become used to the idea of being married, but… it was still… strange.

Gilgamesh, reaching the other side of the room, could not bring himself to acknowledge the _real_ reason why he suddenly felt so particularly possessive towards her, in spite of the fact that he had by now a fairly clear idea of what it was already. He knew that there were indeed practical reasons prompting him to act in such a way – to want to see her wear the ring – but they were not the _only_ reasons.

He and Arturia spent the rest of the evening without exchanging another word.

…

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…

The new head medics were not at all what they had expected.

In fact, when she entered the hospital on Gilgamesh's arm and spotted them, Arturia called their names in wonder.

"Gawain? Bedivere?"

Two men with very pale blond hair turned from the reception desk next to which they were standing, and smiled broadly as they saw her.

"Ria! This is certainly a surprise!"

Both men approached them with ease, but keeping somewhat more distance than Diarmuid had, and they shook hands with Arturia, who proceeded to make the necessary introductions.

"Gilgamesh, these are Gawain Whiteknight and Bedivere Silverarm, and they were in my same kendo class when I still lived in Japan. Gawain, Bedivere, let me introduce my husband, Gilgamesh Uruk."

Both Gawain and Bedivere, who were a few years her seniors, gave respectful bows to the man known as the Golden Businessman and briefly shook hands with him. Bedivere was the first to speak.

"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. We have heard about you on the news of course, but it's an honour to meet you in person."

Gawain agreed with his words with a nod.

"Belated congratulations on your wedding. We are glad to meet the man who captured the heart of our fiery former club member."

Their words were sincere and polite; it did therefore not cost Gilgamesh much to acknowledge them with a tolerably gracious nod.

Arturia, however, feeling that things might get into a dangerous territory, decided to change the subject, and gave them a mildly playful glare, surprising her husband, even if he hid it well.

"And you two, my friends? When are you going to make it official?"

Both laughed good-naturedly.

"We've just arrived to begin working here, Ria, don't immediately start to mother us before we even get settled in!" Gawain exclaimed, feigning an upset expression.

Bedivere grinned in approval.

"Besides, Ria, marriage is for old people!" Glancing between her and her husband, whom he still didn't know, and realizing that what was meant as a joke could not be very welcome for two _young_ people who had gotten married less than a year before, he sobered up. "No offense intended, of course."

"None taken," Arturia replied nonchalantly, while Gilgamesh lifted an eyebrow but didn't reply.

Gawain shook his head in exasperation, giving his companion a half-hearted glare.

"And _this_ is the brilliant man I should get married to? Give him first a few more years to mature and then I'll consider it!"

Bedivere pretended to be hurt at those words, and the exchange of light-hearted banter continued until Arturia excused herself, continuing towards her sister's room together with her husband.

As they were nearing Iri's room, the blonde woman softly murmured, "I'm glad that Bedivere and Gawain are the new head medics. They are exceptionally skilled of course, but they're very reliable people as well." She almost smiled then. "Even though they are also very unaware when it comes to feelings. It took them ages to confess to each other during the time I was in the kendo club with them."

Gilgamesh shot her an amused glance.

"I have few doubts that you helped them out in that."

She seemed half-sheepish, half-shrugging.

"Someone _had_ to intervene and give them a little push. They were both too oblivious, and I didn't want them to suffer because they mistakenly thought they were unrequited."

He almost rolled his eyes as he opened the room's door, standing aside to let her enter first.

"When there will _ever_ be a moment, Arturia, in which you do something for yourself instead of only for somebody else, let me know. It will most likely be an event to remember."

…

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"…Travelling?"

She repeated the last word of his monologue in a questioning manner, wondering if she had actually heard him right.

With uncharacteristic calmness, he resumed his explanation. They were both in one of the living rooms in their house, him lying down with a glass of wine in hand and her sitting with a cup of tea and biscuits. It was late afternoon, and Sakura was downstairs in the kitchen, in the early stages of preparing dinner.

Arturia didn't even know how they had ended up sitting in this room, with Gilgamesh talking seriously with her about the growth of Uruk Enterprises and the necessary changes that were going to take place.

In order to supervise the rapidly expanding company, he needed to make a trip abroad for a period of approximately three weeks, to personally inspect the offices and determine if the working methods were efficient, productive and effective. If necessary, he was going to promote new ones that were more modern as well.

He did not intend to make such trip alone: he meant for her to come with him.

Arturia pursed her lips in thought. She did not have any excuses to actually refuse to go. Her family was more than well now; Illya was a healthy baby, and Iri was regaining her strength day after day, supported by Kariya and even by little Shirou. Her presence there in Japan with them was not strictly necessary, therefore she couldn't bring up the contract to try to avoid what he was asking of her.

To be fair, she didn't really know why she felt reluctant about making such a trip. She liked living in Japan, she liked what she did at work and had come to care about the growth of Uruk Enterprises as well; furthermore, she had recently come to acknowledge that she truly didn't mind spending time with her husband.

Yet she still didn't feel inclined to go.

Not because she didn't trust him enough to travel alone with him; she simply wasn't particularly interested in going with Gilgamesh around the world solely because she was his wife.

Speaking of which, he still hadn't given her a _real_ reason for which she had to go on the trip as well. She stared at him, contemplatively.

"You said that this is a business trip, Gilgamesh. For what reason do you need to have your wife with you, if it's purely related to work?"

He twirled his glass in his hand.

"There are going to be a couple of evening galas where your presence is required."

She raised an eyebrow, unimpressed and slightly annoyed.

"Two events in the span of three weeks don't mean that I have to be there as a decorative element for the entirety of the journey."

Before she could voice any more of her perplexity, however, he specified, "I'm not having you come with me just as my wife, but as my employee as well."

She stared at him once again, and her eyes now held some wariness.

He sighed. "You will be present at the various meetings, and are expected to actively participate in them."

There was a brief silence, before Arturia cautiously replied, "I don't intend to be disrespectful, but wouldn't Enkidu, or maybe Iskandar, be better suited for this? You made it clear that this trip is very important for your company, and you obviously want someone very familiar with the various offices; Enkidu's insight would prove to be invaluable."

Gilgamesh sat up from the couch, putting the glass on the small table in front of him.

" _Your_ insight isn't any less valuable," he stated firmly, and she couldn't help blinking, in complete bewilderment at the unexpected compliment.

But he wasn't finished. A lazy smirk appeared on his lips. "Arturia, you know perfectly well that you are remarkably capable at your job. Why, did you believe I hired you because you're beautiful?"

Her eyes widened in shock. What–…?

He chuckled, very much enjoying both her expression and her discomfort. Truth to be told, he _could_ go alone on the business trip; there was no true need for the presence of a wife aside from those two events, which he even had the luxury to skip. But as far as work was concerned, he did consider it better if someone else, someone he could trust, was present as well. And Arturia was perfect.

Regarding Enkidu, even if he had not been busy in Hong Kong, Gilgamesh preferred not to have his already overworked best friend travel with him abroad for over a fortnight. He deserved a break sometimes; besides, from his sources, he was also aware that Enkidu had taken a serious fancy to one of the employees in Hong Kong.

But aside from all that, another reason for which he wanted her to come with him was that he did not intend to stay away from Arturia for such a long period of time.

Knowing that she was still shocked, he smirked more widely.

"We will make a short stop in New York before going to Europe. Among several other countries, England will probably ring a bell to you."

Arturia snapped out of her surprise and her face betrayed her interest. England was the country where she had been born and where she had spent the first eight years of her life. She was even more surprised by the fact that Gilgamesh knew about that part of her past and, added to his weird compliments, she found that he had said enough to make sure she didn't have anything more to take issue with.

His smirk was still in place as they heard Sakura's soft footsteps approaching, likely to inform them that dinner was ready.

"Excellent. Since there are no other objections, I suggest we move on to discuss the details of the trip. We are leaving in ten days."

…

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During dinner – Sakura had already left, since she now lived with Rin at their uncle Kariya's – Arturia found that she had several matters to address and discuss with Gilgamesh about their upcoming trip.

For one, she was adamant about preparing her luggage herself. Only after some annoyed insistence on his part did she reluctantly agree to have the Starks – the housekeepers – lend her a hand in the _folding_ of the clothes. Gilgamesh had already selected the necessary wardrobe for the formal evenings, and he emphasized the fact that, even if it was officially spring in the northern hemisphere, it did not mean that it wasn't going to be rather cold.

Aside from the smaller and comparatively inconsequential details, there was a major issue that bothered the blonde woman, an issue she couldn't easily talk about with anyone.

When abroad, same as at the inauguration of the hotel, she was going to have to share more than a room with her husband: she was going to have to share a _bed_ , and she remembered all too well what had happened the last time they had been forced into such close quarters.

She knew that she was being quite unreasonable and that her concerns were somewhat immature; it was nothing of great importance, as they were both supposed to be responsible adults and she firmly believed that Gilgamesh would keep his word about not doing anything to her… but she still felt a certain agitation about it.

She could no longer consider him a stranger, not after almost a year since signing a contract with him, spending so much time with him and actually opening up to him more than she had ever thought possible.

She had told him about her past, which she usually held under tight barriers. She had relied on him when she had needed help. She had even broken down in his arms…

Then why was the thought of sharing a bed with him – knowing the she did not need to fear him – making her feel so edgy? Why was _that_ her main concern before readying herself to leave for a three-week long journey abroad, with hard work and troublesome social events awaiting them?

Arturia faced an inner battle with herself for the rest of the week, until she decided to firmly stop being so nonsensical and finally be mature about it – as she _should_ be.

It was with that resolution in mind that she went to visit her sister and nephew and told them about her imminent departure.

"The trip will last about three weeks," she explained.

Shirou reacted very oddly. He first ran to her, clinging to her obstinately, asking her to hug him. Bewildered, she complied with his request, only for the boy, who was now sniffling a bit, to look at her straight in the eye.

"You and Uncle Gilgamesh _will_ come back? Soon?"

Arturia nodded, and the boy surprised her by climbing onto her lap, leaning forward and kissing her cheek a bit sloppily.

Giving her a resolute smile, he told her, "I will help mommy and Illya in your place, Auntie Ria. I will be-behave while you are away, and I will then tell you all that I learn!"

Arturia, Kariya and Iri were all quite astounded by the boy's words; the white-haired woman was then the first to recover, and she smiled at her son.

"Auntie Ria will call often though, won't she?" There was a mixture of a plea and a request in her voice as she looked at her sister.

Arturia's smile was barely pronounced.

"Perhaps not every day, but I most certainly will. I will do my best not to call when it's the middle of the night here though."

Since Shirou didn't know what she meant exactly – he had slept through the former intercontinental trip – Kariya took up the task of explaining time zones to him more in detail, and as soon as he finished with his explanation, Arturia stood up to take her leave. She refused to say goodbye in any exaggerated manner; she wanted to keep things simple.

She softly caressed Illya's head – the little girl had finally started to sleep more regularly – briefly kissed Shirou's forehead, had a firm handshake with Kariya and then kissed her sister's cheek, before squeezing her hand briefly. She had already taken her leave from Sakura and Rin in the morning, while that evening she intended to cook on her own. Well, in truth, she was actually going to cook with her husband, but that was beside the point.

"I'll see you all in three weeks."

Iri, however, grabbed her hand again before she left.

"Stay safe, Ria," was all she murmured, and Arturia nodded.

"I will."

…

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…

The flight to leave Japan was surprisingly spent in silence.

Contrary to the other time in which they had been on a long plane trip together – after their wedding – Gilgamesh seemed to respect her unspoken desire for quietness. It could have something to do with the fact that the air between them was thick with inexplicable tension and was making it less easy to casually address one another, but she was wary about considering the implications of that line of thought.

She refused, and she was firm in her decision, to ponder over her husband more than was necessary. She needed to focus to make sure that those three weeks abroad went well. They were going to be under the watchful eyes of the media – as it was their first long trip together since getting married – but they were also going to have to do a lot of work that needed to be perfect. She wasn't going to see her family for the same period of time as well, and that meant that she was going to have to – almost always – interact solely with her husband.

This all meant that it truly wasn't the time to allow herself to have any distractions.

It was actually the first trip abroad Gilgamesh was making after their marriage as well. He had indeed travelled around Japan, but had never left the country after moving there. To better keep up the appearance of having a stable private life, he had delegated many trips to Enkidu, Iskandar and a few other associates he knew were sufficiently reliable, while at the same time he held Skype conferences with the directors of his smaller offices around the world.

For the current trip, Arturia was going to accompany him not just as his wife, but as his employee as well. When going into detail about the trip, she had briefly asked him if he intended her to be a secretary of sorts (and she couldn't say she was thrilled by the idea), but he had bluntly replied that she was not expected to be a secretary, because it was not her job. She was expected to _do her work as coordinator at Uruk Enterprises_ , which meant putting her on the same level as the office directors and representatives.

She knew she lacked the experience in that department, and he acknowledged that, saying that that was precisely the reason why he didn't give her an actual office to run; but at the meetings, she was going to be supposed to listen and offer her input as often as possible.

Once they agreed on that, the Uruk couple didn't have anything else to discuss.

The first few stops in the US were very brief, and included nothing more than meeting after meeting at the main venues of Uruk Enterprises, where they had both been working before their marriage. In fact, Arturia hardly found the time to contact her former colleagues from college while she was there because of how hectic their schedule was.

It was also a slightly disconcerting impact at the beginning, having to go back to speaking English after so many months in Japan; she promised herself that she would make an effort to no longer neglect her language skills for such a long time. She knew that it was much easier for Gilgamesh, since he had at least one Skype meeting per week with people from all over the world, and therefore he never had the chance to neglect his English.

Right afterwards, they travelled to Europe, and there, sooner than she expected, Arturia found herself in a hotel room in London, getting ready for an evening gala.

She had just taken a shower and was now unpacking the formal clothes she had. She was much calmer than she had expected to be; a few days of travelling with her husband had already passed, and sleeping next to him had proven not to be an inconvenience at all. She had never woken up close to him as it had happened in Japan, and about that, she was relieved – or at least, she forced herself to believe that that was the case.

Gilgamesh was in the room as well, and he was looking at her with a smirk on his lips. A bit annoyed by that, she gave him a pointed stare.

"What is the matter?"

His smirk only widened.

"What will you be wearing tonight, Arturia?"

She studied him, and then raised an eyebrow as she informed him, deadpan, "Clothes, Gilgamesh."

Not very happy with her juvenile sarcasm, he narrowed his eyes, and she studied him once again before continuing, "Do you have something specific you intend to convey with the way we are going to appear in public tonight?"

He shook his head once and then went to his own suitcase, taking out a black evening suit with a vibrant red tie – the exact same shade as his eyes, Arturia noted – and a beautiful set of golden jewels.

Understanding his unspoken request, she examined her selection of gowns, and picked out a dazzling, very elegant dark red dress, which was going to complement his tie. Knowing that it was the perfect choice without the need to look at her husband for any kind of 'approval', she went to the bathroom to change. After slipping on the dress, she brushed her hair briefly and then, as Sakura had showed her, she braided most of it up in a formal updo, leaving however a few locks down to reach her shoulders, since the dress had a low cut on the back.

As she came out, he wordlessly handed her golden jewels to wear. It was undeniable, however, that his eyes swept over her, and from his expression, Arturia deduced that he was truly fond of the colour red.

Deciding once again not to ponder over that, she effortlessly fastened a small golden jewel on top of her updo, slid on a golden ring (it was in fact the former engagement ring) and some thin bracelets with ease and then eyed the necklace a bit warily. That was going to be a little tricky to put on, since her hair was already styled and was in the way–

Without a warning, Gilgamesh was suddenly behind her, his arms going around her to take the necklace from her fingers and unclasping it swiftly.

"Let me help my wife," was all he said, but the low note in his tone was very uncharacteristic, and she had to suppress an unexpected shiver at such a sudden proximity.

After a second of hesitation, she slowly raised her arms to lift her tresses in order to aid him in his task. As he very deliberately took his time in it, she found herself torn between glaring at him through the mirror in front of her and rolling her eyes, and ultimately managed to do both.

When she heard the distinct sound of the necklace being fastened, she let her locks fall back to cover her neck and turned to face him.

Taking him by surprise – and she could not deny she took pride in her small victory – she seized the last golden jewel, a pin, and expertly strapped it to his tie in the point where she knew he preferred having his pins most of the time.

His raised eyebrow almost made her smirk at him.

"Let me help my husband as well," she said nonchalantly, before linking her arm with his and guiding him towards the door.

They had an event to attend, after all, and the underlying tension between them could wait to be clarified some other time.

…

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…

The entire evening, Gilgamesh's arm hardly ever left its place around Arturia's waist, not even when he held a glass of wine in his left hand and they met other people – he did not let go of her to shake their hands. Following his example, she did not shake hands with anyone either, and simply gave nods and polite smiles to every person, satisfied that she could recall most names easily.

On this occasion, she was glad to meet several people who worked for the charities she supported. Their trip abroad was an excellent opportunity to widen the range of suitable donations she intended the Uruk name to be associated with.

Her husband's unusual display of possessiveness towards her was not lost on anyone, and she was very aware of the fact that the newspapers were going to conjure up an explanation for it sooner rather than later. The only explanation she herself could find for it was that Gilgamesh, as per usual, intended to give some vague hints to the press, to leave them to speculate and give publicity to his name.

However, every thought about that matter left her mind the following day, as one meeting after the other took place, and since every second required her complete focus, she couldn't dedicate her attention to anything else.

After four exhausting days of this kind, they left London to travel to Zurich and, as soon as they arrived at their hotel suite, Arturia was so tired that she just fell asleep on the couch after taking off her shoes and sitting down for a moment to rest, without even removing the rest of her clothes.

When she woke up, she found herself in bed, comfortably tucked under the covers, while Gilgamesh was in the other room, sitting at a rather small table already set with an abundant breakfast.

She got changed, noticing that while he had obviously carried her to the bed, he had not attempted to do anything as outrageous as taking off her clothes – there would have been _hell_ to pay otherwise – and then went to open the door to the hotel waiters, who brought in more breakfast and a copy of the international newspaper.

Absent-mindedly, she sat down as well, right in front of him, scanning through the front pages before raising an eyebrow at her husband, who was busy writing down a few things on his personal organizer.

"I think you will like this piece of news, Gilgamesh. Apparently, we are to expect our first child – or children, according to what they _confirm_ here – in a little more than half a year. Another 'reliable source' claims that I'm still in my first trimester and that that's the reason why nothing has been formally announced yet." She gave him a sardonic smile. "Should I give my congratulations for the arrival of the twins?"

He did not look fazed by her sarcasm, seeming rather amused instead.

"I see that your attitude towards your possible pregnancy seems to have undergone a change, Arturia."

She gave him a flat stare, choosing to ignore his comment.

"Did you intend for these rumours to be spread?"

He gave a minimal shake of his head.

"The amount of absurdities the press can come up with for the sake of gossip is unpredictable – even for me."

She accepted his words, and concentrated on her food for a moment, before making a quick comment on the offices they had visited there in Europe. He did not give a reply of much consequence, therefore she judged it safe enough to insist on the subject a while longer.

"There are a lot of offices in this continent, but I've noticed that all of them are small. Don't you think–" she interrupted herself with a short hesitation, wondering if it was her place to ask something like this, but then deciding to inquire anyway. "Don't you think that there should be another new large venue, similar to the ones in the US and in Japan, and that there could be room for the growth of your company here as well?"

He looked interested enough in what she was saying – after all, he had always asked her to speak her mind during work meetings – therefore she continued, "If you intend to focus on more trips abroad, since you are expanding your business in Australia, I don't see why other continents should be neglected. You said yourself that you want your influence to extend _everywhere_."

He looked at her contemplatively for a second, and then slowly replied, "Other trips in the future are not impossible, even though right now the situation in Japan is still quite delicate and requires most of my attention; at the moment, Europe can't have priority. However, your suggestions are entirely reasonable and fitting for the good of my company – I will not forget them." He inclined his head to the side. "While I am aware that you enjoy your work, I didn't think you to be so interested in Uruk Enterprises' welfare."

Arturia raised an eyebrow, and steadily admitted, looking at him again, "I am very fond of what I am able to do at your company, and I will do everything in my power to support it and its growth."

He seemed extremely pleased to hear her words, and she felt slightly self-conscious at acknowledging her thoughts so candidly.

Now that she had addressed her concerns over Uruk Enterprises, she had a much more personal matter to address.

She had to thank him for not leaving her to sleep on the couch, but since she did not feel comfortable in doing such a thing, it was best if she did it as quickly as possible.

"Thank you for carrying me to the bed – and for being respectful enough not to take off my clothes."

Every word gave away his barely held back smirk.

"While your reaction would have been the most amusing in a long while, I will once again remind you that I–"

"I know," and there was the hint of a smile on her lips as she interrupted him with unexpected composure, "You made a promise to be respectful, and I know that you keep your promises." A pause. "That doesn't mean, however, that I can't thank you for it anyway."

He put down his detailed program to lean forward a little and stare at her, a very odd light appearing in his eyes.

A bit unnerved by the peculiar intensity she could read in them and feeling her face heating up a bit at the proximity, she looked away and her gaze landed on his agenda. Involuntarily, she read the names of several places they were going to be in during the upcoming days, followed by the dates and information about the meetings they were going to attend there, until she read something strange.

Written in pencil at the bottom, there was the name of a Middle Eastern country with a question mark next to it, and then a line crossing it away.

Arturia furrowed her brow. As far as he knew, Uruk Enterprises did not have offices in the particular region there specified; why had then Gilgamesh thought of including that place in their trip?

She could not stop herself from asking that question, taking him a little aback with the abrupt change of topics. But his reaction was not what she expected.

His blood red eyes narrowed and the expression in them immediately closed off, becoming suddenly unreadable.

"Since we are not going there, Arturia, there is no need to talk about it."

She was honestly surprised by his curt reticence, which made it clear that he wasn't going to tell her anything; she therefore scrutinized him thoughtfully, before narrowing her eyes as well.

"Gilgamesh," her voice was sharp, "if you don't wish to tell me anything about it, I will respect that. But if there is any possible way in which my ignorance on the matter is going to constitute a danger to my family, know that I will make you regret it."

He didn't even attempt to hide a smirk that held a hint of pride.

"I didn't expect any less from you, even though your worry is completely unnecessary."

The silent staring contest that followed was over only once the waiters knocked on the door again to take away the empty dishes, and a brief nod on Arturia's part signalled that she accepted his words, albeit with some reluctance.

He barely suppressed a sigh. It was always so _complicated_ when he had to deal with her…

…then why wasn't he feeling annoyed and instead merely wished he could have leaned a little forward to press his lips against hers…?

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	37. Enkidu

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ENKIDU (past)

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His earliest memories were from the orphanage, even if he admittedly didn't have much recollection from back then; he had, after all, not spent much time there.

Enkidu had never known his parents. His mother had arrived at the hospital heavily pregnant and exhausted; after labour, she was only able to muster enough energy to explain her husband's passing months before and to tell the nurses the baby's full name before closing her eyes forever.

At the orphanage, he had always got along easily with the other children and with the caretakers, and never had any problems with what the grown-ups had called 'socializing'; but that did not mean that he wasn't occasionally subject to feeling very lonely. He soon learned that the best way to deal with such a complex emotion was to take a larger interest in those around him, a trait that he ended up retaining into adulthood.

He no longer remembered what exactly it was that they did at the orphanage day to day; however, one afternoon in the summer, all the children had adventured out to go to play at a small, nearby stream.

Enkidu recalled this particular afternoon very vividly, because that was when he had first met Gil.

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Everyone was playing in different areas around the stream. In many cases in fact, Enkidu had been the one to help them in finding the spot each of them preferred, and he was happy to see them all happy.

By occupying his time in such a way, however, he had not found a place for himself, and therefore spent a few minutes looking up and down the river, trying to find a suitable spot to observe everyone else from. He wanted to able to see everyone clearly from this spot, be far enough away to not be too weird, yet close enough to help them in case something happened, because many of the children were much younger than him.

As he walked a bit further down the riverbank, he suddenly became aware of the sound of footsteps that weren't his own. Looking to the side, he was caught by surprise when he saw a blond boy – not one from the orphanage – seemingly of the same age, who was staring straight at him.

Bewildered and curious, Enkidu stared back.

The boy had blood red eyes, eyes full of determined inquiry.

"You helped the others, and now you are left without a spot for yourself."

Enkidu tilted his head to the side.

"Untrue. I've just yet to find the perfect spot to watch over them from."

He did not know this strange boy who had appeared out of nowhere, but there was just something about his majestic appearance that made him a subject of interest.

Enkidu spontaneously added, "Do you want to come with me?"

Blood red eyes flashed with a mix of mirthful surprise.

"You are not very cautious, in making an offer like that to a stranger."

Enkidu smiled. "Neither are you, in _talking_ to a stranger."

For the first time in what seemed like a very long time, the blond boy gave a smile – or actually, he tilted his lips slightly upwards in what looked more like a smirk.

"I like your spirit. What's your name?"

Enkidu found himself immediately giving an answer.

"Enkidu… Enkidu Eabani."

The blond boy studied him.

"You give me your full name and don't ask for mine in return. What were you saying about _talking_ to strangers?"

Enkidu smiled, once again. This boy was truly interesting.

"I like your spirit too."

The two children grinned at each other, yellow-grey and crimson reaching an unspoken understanding.

"I am Gilgamesh Uruk. Come with me – I want to build a dam down there."

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The other kids kept their distance, very much intimidated by the blond boy, therefore they worked on their rudimental piece of architecture all on their own and in relative peace. The dam turned out very nicely despite it being just the two of them.

They had done a great job with it; so great, in fact, that the small river had not been able to flow as usual nor break through it, and had therefore started to flow _over_ it, creating an interesting looking waterfall. That, however, did not happen before the water remained contained for quite a while, therefore overflowing in the grass where the other kids had been playing.

Gil was silent next to him as he bashfully apologized to the caretakers, but when their reproaches started to bore the blond boy, he dragged him away once again. To this day, Gil had not changed: if something was not deemed worthy of his attention, he _would not_ give it his attention.

Less than twenty minutes after leaving the place near the stream, Enkidu found himself at the doorstep of a large house, in front of which a stunningly beautiful blonde woman was sitting at a table, reading through some files and worksheets, and who looked up at them when they arrived. The resemblance was not blatant, but there was no mistaking the fact that she was Gil's mother.

A few seconds later, a blond man came out of the house, and he raised an eyebrow at seeing his son appear out of nowhere dragging a green-haired boy with him.

Gil didn't seem fazed, and grinned up at his parents, his expression determined and firm.

"Mother, Father, this is Enkidu Eabani. And he is staying."

The ochre-eyed boy should have realized from the beginning that there was something peculiar about this family when both adults looked at him with kind interest instead of giving him odd stares.

The beautiful woman spoke, looking between him and Gil keenly.

"What is the reason you wish to do this, Gil?"

Gil smirked proudly and looked at Enkidu with what he would later come to recognize as respect, and the beginning of a feeling they would both acknowledge as friendship in the future.

Even at such a young age, he was already very imposing every time he spoke.

"Because he is _worthy_ , Mother."

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Perhaps, at first, Enkidu had not caught the precise meaning of 'staying'. Gil had not meant for him to stay for dinner, or stay over for the night; he had meant for him to _move_ there.

All it took was a few days, and Lugalbanda and Ninsun Uruk – after having a talk with him to make sure he agreed – started the procedure to obtain legal guardianship over him. Both he and Gil were too young to fully understand the magnitude of what they had done, but since they got to play together without anyone interfering, they didn't think much about it.

Enkidu was not blind though: he knew that the Uruk family was being very, very generous towards him, and he had some difficulties in wrapping his mind around their spontaneous acceptance of him as he grew up.

He did not get to know Lugalbanda very well, because he died a few years later, but he knew that he had been a very firm, stern-looking man, who had a soft spot for 'his boys', as he called the two of them, even though he was often absent because of work.

The lack of a paternal figure in his and Gil's life was hardly felt by Enkidu though, because there was _her_. Ninsun Rimat-Uruk.

She had welcomed him in her life with a readiness that had astounded him, and she had implicitly yet unquestionably taken up the role as his mother. He had at first tried to keep himself polite by respectfully calling her 'Madam', but her regal yet very warm behaviour towards him had always made it hard to maintain that level of awkward formality. In the end, he called her 'Mother', just like Gil – because that was even more than who she was, for both of them.

A very sharp and remarkably insightful woman, she had raised them alone, and neither of her two children had ever made a mystery of the fact that they deeply admired and respected her, for she was truly a formidable person.

For reasons that Enkidu only understood once he was a little older, Ninsun changed her surname back to her maiden name after her husband's death, making them also frequently travel between Japan, Europe and the US. When later on he and Gil began the work together on the rebirth of the unstable Uruk Company and Gil used his exceptional capabilities to found Uruk Enterprises and to start to make it flourish, Ninsun moved away from the US. There had been an intense conflict with Lady Ishtar Caster for quite a number of years, originated from old family disputes and kept alive through Lady Ishtar's jealousy and relentless – but unsuccessful – attempts at undermining her, even going as far as trying to basically push her daughter Medea on Gil, as a possible bride.

Gil himself hadn't been interested in the least; Lady Ishtar had been extremely underhanded in her efforts to damage his business, and while she had never come close to actually succeeding, she had caused enough real problems for Gil to develop a furious hatred for her. In fact, he despised her and her family's ways so profoundly that both he and Ninsun didn't even bother to interact with the Casters above the necessary time to make it clear they wanted nothing to do with them.

Ninsun had returned to her homeland in the Middle East, from where she had continued managing her own corporation. Both he and Gil had regular phone calls with her, because even if she no longer lived with them, she meant to keep in touch with her sons.

Enkidu always thought that she had been very good to both of them and had done well in raising them into reasonably respectable people. She had given them affection, care and her own good example to follow; she had not just demanded their respect, she had also earned it; she had taught them a lot and made sure to give them the widest possible cultural experience. They always valued her opinions and her advice, and to this day, after so many years, she still remained a person both of them looked up to.

She was the one to inspire them to go into the field of business; before Lugalbanda's death, she had been headmistress of the Central College in New York, but she had kept that position only until her arch rivalry with Lady Ishtar had been settled (with her victory, of course) before moving on to found her own company.

She was also the only one who could keep up with Enkidu's occasional mischief and give him a run for his money, as much as he was reluctant to admit it.

If there was one thing, one single thing, that Enkidu could complain about when it came to his Mother, it was the fact that she wasn't humble _at all_. In fact, that flaw was what had made it possible for Gil to have so much arrogance. Given his field of work and the people they had to deal with on a daily basis, it was actually good for him to have such a large ego, and it had never constituted a problem – at least, not until later on. Ninsun had often punished them, and adequately so, when they exaggerated in their mischief as children, but she had not taught her sons humbleness.

Gil was very capable in the business field; he was ruthless and merciful in equal measures, whenever it was needed, and his confidence was indispensable to accomplish that. Truth to be told, sometimes Gil was so impressively terrifying that Enkidu was secretly glad about the fact that they were _not_ enemies, but instead best friends and brothers.

Speaking of which, when the Uruk family had obtained legal guardianship over Enkidu, he had been readily accepted as part of the family, and that had made him notice that there weren't any other friends around. In fact, compared to him – a person who was always sociable and ready to talk to everyone – Gil had very few people in his life he could call friends. While others would have found it concerning, Enkidu had learned an important lesson in the Uruk household: not to care about what other people thought.

That was also a reason why Gil had been absolutely livid when society had begun to subtly or not-so-subtly hint at him to get married. While he completely disregarded other people's opinions, he had no choice but to be careful around the power of the media, since it was going to influence his business field, and their inquiries about his private life were starting to become insisting. He couldn't care less about what they thought about his status as a bachelor, but they seemed intent on focusing precisely on that and give it widespread attention.

Enkidu could not deny the fact that he did begin to worry about those traits of his best friend – independence and arrogance – once it became apparent that society was not backing down when it came to asking him to find a spouse.

Because of his important position and his prestige, it was inevitable that they would start questioning his bachelorhood, even though he did not have the slightest intention of changing that any time soon, especially since there were despicable people like Medea Caster (now Medea Kuzuki) and many, many other gold-diggers around.

Enkidu himself was safe; during the time in which Medea had unsuccessfully attempted to use her charms on Gil and interfere with his business deals, he had heard rumours start from the Caster family about his presumed homosexuality, and had decided not to bother correcting anyone on their assumptions. Letting them believe whatever they wanted to believe was after all incredibly easy and incredibly amusing in equal measures; he had taken to heart the lesson of not really caring about what other people thought about him.

Uruk Enterprises had been growing more than they had expected, and both he and Gil were very satisfied with – and proud of – it. Enkidu had a position as head director of a part of the offices, and he was very fond of his job. He knew that Gil did not play favourites when it came to workplaces: if he had not been competent, he would not have had his position, regardless of his best-friend-basically-sibling status.

Being in this specific position allowed him to meet many people, and he had not lost his invaluable capability of conversing easily with everyone. On behalf of Uruk Enterprises, he was also one of the trustees of the Central College – both he and Gil respected the place their mother had been head of for numerous years – and therefore met several students who wished to take an internship at the company.

One of those interns was a lovely woman, just a few years younger than Gil and himself: Arturia Pendragon, better known as Ria. She had very polite mannerisms, but it was her inner steel, which could easily rival Ninsun's, that made her stand out. Because of a comment that their colleague and 'friend' Iskandar Velvet had made, Enkidu brought Gil to meet her, and it did not take long for him to see that his best friend already knew her, and had in fact quite a fixated interest in her.

After a bit of resistance, Enkidu managed to coax out of him that, even though she was still in college, he had hired her as a part-timer because she had proven to be skilful.

It was done on just a hunch, a fleeting feeling, a fantasy perhaps; but Enkidu knew that he had made the right choice when he decided to begin to organize, directly and indirectly, a few evenings out, in which both Gil and Ria were included.

It wasn't that he wanted to play cupid; maybe he just wanted to be the _unconventional_ cupid though.

Watching them interact was very, very amusing. Gil could aloofly deny it all he wanted, but his eyes were always on her when she was in the same room. On her side, it was different; Enkidu didn't know her well enough, but he was quite certain of the fact that she was maddened by the way Gil constantly and willingly pushed her buttons, and she quickly came to reply to him in kind – which only had the result of making Gil even more interested in her.

It was all truly funny to witness.

However, Enkidu would not have expected Gil to actually ask her to marry him. The day Ria slapped his best friend in public made him feel a conflict of two main emotions. The first one was distress about his best friend's plight, and that he had been proven right about the fact that Gil did indeed have _a little_ too much arrogance, at least when he had to deal with people outside of his business field, in everyday contexts. The other emotion was surprise, because the young woman, Ria, was more than he had expected her to be and had put Gil in his place with unanticipated and completely _unafraid_ firmness.

No one less than awfully brilliant could do something like that to his best friend; only Mother had so far been capable of it. Enkidu was forced to wonder if Ria could truly be the only woman who might be a match for Gil in more ways than one.

Of course, that was only to be if the two of them developed feelings for each other, otherwise it was not going to be anything more than some entertaining bickering.

It was however true that he only found out that their brief conversation had been a _proposal_ after Gil had reluctantly admitted to it, and that had been the one occasion in which Enkidu had had to do his mightiest to resist the urge to facepalm.

Who in their right mind could ever think of proposing in such a manner? It was too much, _even for Gil_.

It was therefore unexpected when those two ended up getting engaged merely _a day_ later and getting married less than _three months_ after that, especially since it was clear that, while there was some superficial interest and curiosity for each other, their relationship was neither deep nor sincere enough for a marriage.

Enkidu was told the real reasons for the arrangement a bit later; he felt sympathy for Ria's predicament with her family, and it displeased him that they did not have the time to truly get to know one another before forcibly getting married. He knew, however, that Gil did have a code of honour, and would not make Ria's life miserable, no matter how unpleasant the circumstances of their union were.

And aside from that, witnessing the interactions between those two on an almost daily basis was too much of a treat for him to relinquish it.

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Sitting in his car, as he waited for the lights to turn green at the crossroads, Enkidu pondered over his best friend's marriage, his fingers lightly drumming on the steering wheel.

Ria and Gil. They were two such persistent people. When thrown together in a situation, they were pricelessly entertaining; being both stubborn and having wills of iron, they clashed constantly, going from the most minor of things to the most important ones.

As months went by after their marriage, some things had begun to change and, slowly but surely, the interactions between them had had a shift. Not a very significant one, that was true, but the shift had been there nonetheless.

Gil had always had a thing for her, whether he admitted it or not, and Enkidu tried to tease him about it as often as he could, because the amusement coming from it was endless, especially since his interest in her seemed to have deepened as time passed.

Enkidu could not suppress a smirk from appearing on his lips as he thought about how Gil had even put his precious work aside when Ria had not been feeling well. Enkidu had of course taken full advantage of the situation – it was too good of an opportunity not to have some harmless fun at his expense – but he had not expected _Ria_ to take her revenge on him. That woman could sure give solid whacks.

Ria was a petite person, but very firm in always standing her ground with a perfect mix of dignity and determination. And Gil… was Gil. He wouldn't back away from a challenge like the one she constantly posed to him, especially since she attracted him. Their verbal spars were wonderful, even though they did tend to give the incautious listener a migraine after a while.

The fact that Gil enjoyed the time he spent with her was plain to see, even if Enkidu had fewer occasions to be with him – he had taken up several travelling duties from Gil after he had married – but what truly surprised him was the fact that reserved Ria began to show to be interested in Gil, too.

It was hard to tell, given that he didn't know her as well as he knew Gil, but her attitude towards the man she had married had somewhat changed. She seemed to be curious about his past, which meant that she was feeling the desire to get to know him better. She had also come to show respect for his opinions, far more than she had done a year before. Whether she realized it or not, her eyes were also on her husband more often than not, displaying the fact that she seemed to have some trust in him, even enough to occasionally rely on him.

Enkidu shook his head as he reflected on it. Seriously, those two were too busy antagonizing each other and focusing on other things in their lives to truly _look_ at each other.

They had some things in common, even if they refused to acknowledge it. For Ria, the most important thing was her family, and therefore she was fiercely loyal to it. For Gil, his own family and his work were the things that mattered more than anything else, and therefore he did all in his power to preserve them. They had different forms of loyalties and beliefs, but they were both able to understand each other's devotions far more than they cared to admit.

They were both prideful and stubborn as well, of course.

Maybe – especially considering the developments that had occurred lately, and the fact that they were now on a _trip_ together – maybe there could be hope… hope for those two obstinate, oblivious people to find something _more_.

It was probably time for him – Enkidu – to give them a hand in it. Or at least, a more determined one, and not just a teasing one.

As he had firmly decided on his own some time before, he did not intend to play cupid – he intended to play the _unconventional_ cupid. Just a small push in the right direction; nothing invasive, nothing intrusive, just a hint to finally make them move forward from this situation of stalemate they seemed to be trapped in, and help them _understand_.

Of course, it did not hurt that it would be very interesting for him to witness.

Since he was already on the subject…

Ria and Gil weren't the only possible couple that had captured his interest in the recent period. From his unlimited resources, he knew that Ria's sister, Irisviel, was getting more and more comfortable with nurse Kariya Matou, the estranged uncle of that horrible Shinji from the Matou company. The man, Enkidu knew, had not had the best life until this moment, with having been thrown out of his family, losing the woman he loved and whatnot, but he seemed to have slowly become very taken with sweet Irisviel.

Their blooming romance deserved a chance to prosper. Both had had enough darkness in their lives; they had more than earned some unburdened happiness.

And as for himself…

Enkidu could not deny that in the offices in Hong Kong he had met a young woman, dark of hair and sharp of mind, who had something about her that had made it impossible for him to tear his eyes away from her while she was in the same room. It had taken some time, but he had finally asked her to have tea with him, and she had accepted.

All those romances needed to have an eye kept on them.

Yes, Enkidu decided as the light finally turned green, this was what he would do. Make his friends delicately take the first step down the right path, and make sure everyone got the happiest possible ending.

As he pressed down on the accelerator and began to turn the wheel to take the street on the right, Enkidu barely had the time to notice an enormous truck speeding past the red light and approaching him from the left, before he heard the deafening sound of the impact and everything became black.

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	38. Feelings

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MAIN (present)

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They were on their flight back to Japan when the phone call arrived.

Arturia knew that something was deeply wrong when she saw her husband's face go white, and without even thinking, she was immediately at his side, her hand instinctively extending towards him.

She had never seen him behave in such a way, with his gaze lost in the distance and a stunned expression on his face.

"Gilgamesh…?" she asked in alarm, realizing that he must have received horrible news to react in this manner.

His eyes continued to remain lost in the distance for several seconds, before he brought them on her as he automatically closed the call.

Voice colourless, soulless, he monochromatically said, "Enkidu was in a car crash."

Her eyes widened as dread filled her. Oh no…

"He…–" she attempted, but didn't manage to finish the sentence as Gilgamesh went on, still unemotionally, "He's at the hospital now. His conditions haven't been determined yet."

Arturia rapidly looked for a clock, and then held back a curse. They still had four hours to fly before landing in Japan.

Enkidu was her friend; he was a very good and nice person. She cared about him, and knowing that he had been in an accident made her feel truly scared on his behalf. However, no matter how strong her concern was, she knew that it was _nothing_ compared to what Gilgamesh must be feeling.

She knew very well that she had felt the same way back when she had been waiting for information outside her sister's room, all those months before. No wonder her husband was so distressed; what was worse, however, was the fact that neither of them could do anything about it at the moment. They were somewhere in the sky, and he could not speed up the flight in any possible way.

She stared at Gilgamesh mutely. She did not know what to say to him, especially since they had a long wait before them and she knew, from personal experience, that any conversation at such a time would have been unwelcome to say the least.

Feeling strangely powerless as she worriedly noticed the iron grip Gilgamesh had on his armrests, Arturia remained silent for the rest of the flight. However, even though she refused to give a coherent explanation for it, she didn't feel the slightest desire to leave her husband's side, and therefore didn't.

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As soon as they were out of the crowded buildings that were apart of the airport complex, Arturia, who was walking in front towards the car, abruptly stopped and turned around.

Her tone was even as she addressed him.

"Give me the car keys."

His eyes slowly fell on her, no emotion in them.

"You're not driving," she elaborated, quite straightforwardly.

He frowned slightly, his perfect control over his features – which he had kept for the remaining time of the flight – starting to slip.

Ice in his tone, he started, "Arturia, I am _perfectly capable of driving_ –"

"Not in the mental state you're in now," she interjected, her tone equally cold, vaguely echoing his words from back in November, when she had had her mental breakdown.

The driver had dropped off their car at the airport, as they had instructed from Europe, but they had not had the time to call him again to request his presence before landing.

Gilgamesh glared at her.

"Arturia." He gritted his teeth. She had never seen him like this – she had never seen him so close to losing control. "Don't cross me. _Not this time_."

But she surprised him by taking a step closer to him and giving him her fiercest look, staring up into his eyes without fear.

"I will _not_ allow you to endanger yourselfby driving during your mental turmoil. Give. Me. The. Keys."

He could not stop his eyes from widening at both her tone and her words, and even if he didn't fully register it, he did not miss the fact that she was wholly unconcerned about her own safety – she was solely concentrated on _his_.

Her hand was posed on his, the one that was holding the car keys.

"Have trust in me, Gilgamesh."

He did not know how much time passed between her pronouncing those words and his fingers letting go of the metal they were grasping. He only knew that less than five minutes later, he was seated next to his wife as she drove them to the hospital that had called him five hours before.

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It wasn't the same hospital in which Iri was staying, it was one a bit further away from the airport and apparently the closest one to where Enkidu had had the accident.

When, a bit out of breath, they reached the place and looked for Enkidu's room, a doctor was just coming out of it. He gave them a polite smile when Arturia told him their names.

"Ah, you must be the relatives he mentioned. Please come in – he's awake."

Gilgamesh, his expression unreadable, made to take a step further, when he noticed that Arturia had not moved. He gave her a sharp glance.

She seemed, oddly, to be a bit hesitating.

"You probably wish to see him alone… I will wait outside."

The words were uttered gently yet lacking any condescension, completely honest and without any hidden meanings. She did not know if he wanted her to be inside the room when he went to see his best friend after the accident, and she meant to give the two of them some privacy and space.

Perhaps, however, it was unnecessary on her part to say such a thing, because he scoffed, breaking his careful mask that he had put in place during the car ride, and grabbed her hand to make her walk next to him.

"Don't be ridiculous, Arturia."

As soon as they crossed the threshold, a very unusual sight greeted them. Enkidu was sitting in bed with a newspaper in hand; hearing their approaching footsteps, he looked up from it and gave them both a surprised grin.

"Why, hello Gil~, and dear Ria~! I thought you were still in Europe!"

Arturia could barely hold back her relief; it was obvious that he was quite well. Gilgamesh's mask of stone was instead back in place.

"Enkidu. Are you unhurt?"

Enkidu shook his head, setting the newspaper aside.

"Nah, I have two broken ribs, seven cracked ones and I'm full of several minor contusions and quite painful bruises, but it's nothing that some weeks of rest won't be able to fix." He studied his best friend for a moment, before giving him another brilliant grin. "Awww Gil~, you're so adorable when you're worried!"

His tone even and measured, the mask over his features rigidly kept in place, Gilgamesh replied, "You did give me quite the scare."

Turning serious at those astonishing words, Enkidu gave him an apologetic look.

"I know. I didn't mean to, Gil, and if they had let me use a phone I would have told you right away. I was very lucky, since the impact came from the left. The truck driver who hit me has a history of drunk driving. This time, he was tipsy and claimed he didn't see the red light, but he's got a major concussion, so his word is not to be trusted at the moment."

Slowly, very slowly, Gilgamesh exhaled. But before he could speak, Enkidu waved him off.

"While it's rather ~ _touching_ ~ that you both immediately came to see me after your long trip, you must be exhausted. Go home, rest and don't come back before you've slept through the night." He cracked another broad grin. "As you've seen, I'm not bad off here. Now I've finally got the time and a good excuse to dedicate myself to the solving of these delightful Sudoku puzzles~. See you tomorrow!"

While his tone was cheerful, there was an underlying sternness in it that didn't leave any room to argue, and Arturia was inwardly grateful for it. She knew that otherwise her stubborn husband would have refused to leave the place, and she knew that after the shock of finding out that Enkidu had been in a life-threatening accident, it was best if he had some time to calm down.

However, as soon as she murmured a few words in Enkidu's direction and exited the room, she found Gilgamesh sitting in one of the chairs in the corridor, his expression not giving away anything but his gaze plainly conveying the fact that he was deeply lost in his thoughts.

She understood him very well in this moment, because she had gone through the same experience, and she was aware of the fact that he was not ready to speak to anyone. She stared at him, in silence.

By the suspicious, minimal glisten in his eyes, she realized that his fear for his best friend's safety had been far deeper than he had given her the opportunity to see. The usually arrogant, calm and collected businessman was showing glimpses of rather different feelings in this moment.

He was capable of caring. _He cared_ , especially about his best friend Enkidu. He did have a heart, somewhere deep down – or maybe not so deep down, after all.

It was far too easy to simply consider Gilgamesh a cold-hearted person, as Arturia had unconsciously kept doing for months. What she was witnessing was a harsh reminder of how completely and utterly wrong she had been.

Suddenly, she knew what she could do. Nothing grand, nothing important, nothing even significant, but she could do something small to remind him that things were fine – that reality was not as bad as he had obviously feared it to be for the past few hours.

He would not have appreciated her speaking empty words of comfort, nor did she feel able to find the right ones to say. Much more simply, she took a step closer to him, and quietly put a hand on his shoulder.

He did not have an apparent reaction to the gesture, nor did he say a word as she silently stood next to him like that, but she knew that it meant a lot when his eyes landed on her and he did not make even the slightest attempt at shaking her off.

…

*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*

…

When she was getting ready to go back to Enkidu's the following morning, together with Gilgamesh, he stopped her.

"I need you to go back to work. Iskandar will be moving to the US soon, and he will need the reports we have written in New York."

She raised an eyebrow at him through the mirror as she was pinning her hair up with practised ease.

"Iskandar is very likely to be at the hospital with Enkidu instead of at work," she remarked accurately.

She knew that the red-bearded man had been busy making sure there wasn't any major press coverage of the accident, which meant that he was very likely to spend time with his injured friend.

She noticed that she had taken her husband aback by the way his movements froze for an instant. Suppressing a sigh, she therefore turned towards him, studying him for a moment before speaking seriously.

"Gilgamesh, you don't have to try and find excuses if you'd rather be alone when going to see Enkidu today. I'm not that naïve. I will respect that desire of yours without you needing to manipulate me." She took her bag before going to the door. "I'll go to the offices and finish the reports, then I'll go see my family and this afternoon I'll meet you at Enkidu's."

His nod took a few seconds, but he gave it to her nonetheless. She knew he wasn't going to apologize for his weak attempt at deceiving her, but in his eyes there was an emotion that she would have called appreciation and even gratitude if it had come from anyone else.

A hint of a smile appeared on her lips before she left. She knew she had been able to guess his thoughts correctly, and the solution she had suggested was the best one for both of them. She understood his desire to be on his own when he went to see Enkidu, and she also understood that he wasn't going to be able to overcome his pride quickly enough to let her know as much.

During work, however, she found difficulties in concentrating, as her mind kept going back to what had happened.

There was no possible way to deny it: Enkidu could have died in that accident. She knew that Gilgamesh had seen that possibility as well, and it had made him close off in a panic. She could understand his fear perfectly, because she had experienced that same kind of feeling with her sister in the past, and more than once.

And yet, there was a difference, because she had always known that Iri was sick, and that her health was at risk. Enkidu was instead healthy and cheerful, and he had been in an accident that no one had been able to foresee, much less prevent. It was something that could have happened to anyone else.

To Iri, Shirou, Sakura, Rin, Kariya… _anyone_. Even though they were not types to travel much.

With a startle that almost made her throw her pen from her desk, Arturia realized that there was a person she knew who travelled quite a bit – and that person was Gilgamesh.

If a life-threatening accident were to happen to _him_ –

She had to suppress a scream at the sudden jolt of pain that tore through her chest, making her feel like she was suffocating. Her eyes snapped open, and she panted heavily in shock.

It couldn't be… just the _thought_ of something like that happening to Gilgamesh–…

Her mind in turmoil, she lowered her still wide eyes to stare at the floor, without actually seeing it.

 _When…? How…? Why…?_

 _When_ had she started to have feelings, deep feelings, for him? _How_ had it even become possible? _Why_ had it happened in the first place!?

Those were questions to which she wasn't going to find an answer, at least not anytime soon, and she knew that. She could not, however, deny the truth of it: she had begun to feel more for her husband than she should.

Far, _far_ more.

She had never had the desire – nor the _opportunity_ – to fall in love with anyone… yet now she _had_.

She almost buried her face in her hands, but controlled herself before doing something as self-indulgent as that. What was going on with her? The mere fact that she… that she… no, she couldn't even properly think about it.

Right then, a random glance at the clock told her that her work time was over and she could go to the hospital to see her family again.

As she stood up and collected her things with slightly trembling hands – at least until she scolded herself into having a firmer grip – she discovered that she had actually mixed feelings about her upcoming visit. On one hand, she was very happy about seeing her sister, nephew and niece again, even though she had had regular phone calls with them while she was in Europe; on the other, she knew that going there would not allow her to sort out her thoughts properly.

That could be a problem for her current mental health, especially when considering her newfound realization.

Once she entered Iri's bedroom, she was pleasantly surprised to find her sister sitting on a chair, a few steps away from the bed, with Kariya standing next to her. Little Illya was in the man's arms, while Shirou was in his mother's lap.

The little boy jumped towards her right away, screaming her name happily, while both Iri and Kariya smiled warmly in her direction. Arturia laughed lightly as she picked up her nephew in her arms, slowly approaching the other two adults.

Her words at her sister were full of pride.

"You're leaving your bed on your own now," she said, very pleased by the development.

With the same amount of happy pride, Iri nodded.

"It's getting better and better, Ria. But tell us about you! Did you return today?"

Arturia's smile faltered, and she sombrely replied negatively, informing them of Enkidu's accident. Iri's dark red eyes and Kariya's black ones filled with concern, even after the blonde woman reassured them about the green-haired man's conditions.

Iri observed her sister keenly, and then sharply questioned, "Aside from what happened with Enkidu, are you all right, Ria? You seem to be a bit… off."

Brushing the comment aside, Arturia was ready to reply with a half-truth, "It's probably still the jet lag. Now, Shirou, you told me on the phone you had made some new drawings and finished the designed project to build a dinosaur…"

…

*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*

…

Enkidu refused to have Gilgamesh remain at the hospital with him for too long.

"Shoo, Gil. Go back to your wife. And to work as well. I am perfectly fine. The only thing I need is rest, and I can't rest if you sulk around me."

Gilgamesh glared at him.

"Enkidu–"

The green-haired man sighed, and his tone became slightly gentler as he put his eighteenth Sudoku aside.

"I know that you were worried, Gil, and you know that I appreciate your worry. But you are here almost twenty-four-seven."

A sudden grin appeared on his lips, and his fingers closed around his best friend's wrist. "However…~"

Gilgamesh knew that look – the look of the king of mischief who had just captured his new prey. But by then, there wasn't much he could do, as he was already in his clutches… literally.

Enkidu's grin was becoming wider with each passing second. "Since you are here and you're refusing to leave, let's make you be honest. Tell me about Ria."

The blond man narrowed his eyes. What was Enkidu trying to get at?

Enkidu was the picture of deviousness. "I just want to know about how you feel for her, Gil~…"

It was tiny, but there was a minimal tremor in Gilgamesh's mask as he gave his best friend a blank look, and yellow-grey eyes sparkled with mirth.

"Your heartbeat is quickening, so I _think_ I touched a nerve~…"

Blood red eyes glared as he freed his arm.

"Enkidu, you had better heal fast, because I need to smack some sense into you in a very literal way."

The threatened man clicked his tongue.

"Gil, you know that you're attracted to her. If you don't see that, you're either blind, or a fool, or in deep denial. And since we both know that you are not blind and most certainly not a fool, what are you going to do about it?"

The silence that followed was heavy, but Enkidu did not break it. He was waiting for his best friend to make up his mind, not knowing that Gilgamesh _had already_ made up his mind, and was only debating with himself whether or not to tell Enkidu.

Finally, the blond man sighed. He told his best friend what he was planning to do, and he very much enjoyed the sight of Enkidu's jaw dropping open in shock.

"I'm going to invite Mother to visit us here in Japan."

…

*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*

…

Gilgamesh did not have lunch with Arturia the following few days; he spent most of his time at the hospital where Enkidu was, even though the green-haired man tried his mightiest to force him to stop working from there. After work and after going to her family, Arturia always met up with him at Enkidu's, and had easy, teasing conversations with the man still confined to his hospital bed.

During their talks, it became more and more obvious how lucky he had actually been. The truck driver had been very tipsy and very distracted by his phone, and had run straight into him. The fact that they had both survived was a miracle.

Since Gilgamesh spent so much time with his best friend, it meant that he spent less with her. While Arturia took notice of it – it was particularly difficult to ignore after the long trip to Europe, when they had hardly ever been separated – she did not consider it such a negative thing, even though she could not deny that she did actually _miss_ his presence a little bit. She had still her realization to process fully though, and she could not do such a thing if he was near her.

She had feelings for her husband. There, she had admitted it to herself.

Admitting it, yes; while already hard in itself, she had now done so. _Accepting_ it, however, was another matter entirely.

After pondering over it, she thought she could begin to see why it shouldn't have surprised her so much. Back when she had suspected him of cheating on her, she had had a wake-up call: she had realized for the first time that maybe, just maybe, she had married a man she could potentially come to like – 'like' in a way that went over the basic level of respect. That was the reason why she had felt something akin to… jealousy and betrayal when she had thought he had lied to her and cheated on her, as his wife.

She had never thought she would develop feelings for him, yet she couldn't deny that she had, no matter how much she wished she _could_ deny it.

Realizing something like this obviously left her with the question about how to proceed from there. It was imperative that her behaviour remained normal – and she was glad that such a thing was not to require too much effort if she put her mind to it – but that wasn't enough. Talking about it with somebody, anybody, was out of the question, and speaking with Gilgamesh least of all.

All they had was a contract, and that was _all it was going to be_. That was _not_ going to change.

She did not intend to nourish those feelings of hers. They were there, she could not keep denying them nor could she get rid of them on the spot; but to avoid them becoming troublesome, she had to do her best to ignore them, cast them aside and ultimately manage to forget them.

She would not allow them to overcome her common sense nor make her interactions with Gilgamesh complicated or awkward. She was stronger than that; she was going to be able to control herself.

A week after their return to Japan, her husband came home with her to have dinner together and, as they finished eating the cake Sakura had baked, he broke the unnatural silence of the evening.

"I'm leaving on a trip tomorrow – I will be back in a couple of days."

Such an announcement puzzled her, and more than just a bit. They had just been on a long trip, after all, and he hadn't even told her _where_ he was going.

She observed his every feature keenly, seeing how serious he looked, and considered his words carefully.

While it may be possible that he had to take Enkidu's place in a few trips abroad, she actually doubted this sudden decision had anything to do with work. Could it be that he wanted some time alone after what had happened to Enkidu? Maybe to somewhat get over the scare it had obviously given him?

She made her decision less than a second later: she was not going to question him, this time. As unwise as it was, she would respect his wish to leave for two days without asking him for details. She knew that, if it were important, he _would_ have told her.

"Very well. Have a safe trip." Her tone was normal, yet at the same time, it wasn't lacking in warmth and sincerity at all.

Looking at her, he could quickly understand what she was thinking. Even though it wasn't the real reason for which he intended to leave, it was endearing to see that she was fully accepting of it. It truly showed her level of trust in him, and he of all people knew how hard it was to earn that.

In truth, what he intended to do was go to the place Arturia had seen him exclude from their trip as they were in Europe: the Middle East.

He wanted to go speak with his mother, Ninsun.

It was high time for her and Arturia to meet, but it could not happen if he didn't speak with her first.

Enkidu's almost fatal accident had shaken him, not just because of the scare about his best friend's life, but also about other people's life – people he cared about – and he had realized that he wanted his mother to meet Arturia.

The past few weeks had made him finally fully acknowledge how much and how deeply he truly cared about his wife, and that only intensified his feeling of dislike at having to leave her, even if for just two days. After all, it was another of the reasons for which he had refused to leave her behind in Japan during his European stay, and the reason why he had already entertained the notion of visiting his mother with Arturia after they were done with the business side of the trip.

But unfortunately, before anything else happened, he had to speak with his mother, because he would not allow her to meet Arturia without first making sure she kept herself in check.

After all, Ninsun could be truly overwhelming, in more ways than one, and he would _not_ have his wife subjected to that.

...

...


End file.
